


After Hours

by StarkTony1



Series: The Dominidas [2]
Category: The Mallorca Files (TV 2019)
Genre: Character Death, F/M, Idiots in Love, Ines loves her officers, Major Character Injury, Max risks everything for Miranda, Murder, Organized Crime, Revenge, The Dominidas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:01:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 25,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24241003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarkTony1/pseuds/StarkTony1
Summary: It's been 6 months since Palmer was arrested, and now her trial is coming up. Will Max and Miranda get a shot at happiness, or will the formidable DoMinidas return and wreck their plans?
Relationships: Max Winter/Miranda Blake
Series: The Dominidas [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1739917
Comments: 12
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

_“Minidas? Minidas!”_

_Miranda giggled from her hiding place, covering her eyes and wriggling behind the bushes in her garden._

_“Minidas!”_

_She squealed as arms wrapped around her, she shrieked and held tightly to them, “Do!”_

_He smiled and hugged her, “you spent the day hiding again?”_

_She nodded, “hid lots!”_

_He smiled and kissed her head, “so you didn’t explore?”_

_“Pffffff course I did! Down!”_

_He obliged. Brushing the dirt from her dungarees. Her hair was wild and she had a wide grin on her face._

_“You have fun today?”_

_“I wanna show you something!” she smiled and grabbed his hand. She dragged him as she ran back into the trees. He laughed and followed her, being careful as he ran to look out for sharp objects that could cut into her bare feet._

_Wild child he grinned._

_She stood and pointed to a lump on the ground._

_“Look!”_

_His heart stopped, “m-Minidas”_

_“Fun” she grinned, “we played all day. He’s quiet now though”._

_He knelt and gripped her arms tightly, “Mini…was that man like that when you found him?”_

_She frowned._

_“Minidas, this is serious. Was he like that when you found him?”_

_She shook her head and sniffed, “h-he he said something”._

_“Yeah? What did he say?”_

_“Help”._

_“Then what happened?”_

_“I covered his mouth. He was loud. I wanted him to be quiet”._

_He shut his eyes and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly, “okay…okay Minidas okay”._

_“Donne?”_

_“Mmm?”_

_“Did I do something wrong?”_

_He looked at her, confusion and fear laced in her wide eyes. He stroked away her tears, “no not at all. But this can’t happen again. Okay?”_

_She nodded._

_“I won’t always be around to protect you”._

_“Why?”_

_Donne frowned, “I have to leave soon. But I’ll be back. Okay? You’ll always be my priority even when it doesn’t feel like it. Now can you go stand watch for me?”_

_She nodded and wiped her eyes._

_“Good girl” he smiled and handed her a coin, it was shiny and she locked onto it, “you keep quiet about this and there’s another in it for you”._

_She nodded and smiled, pocketing the coin in her dungarees before marching off to the trees and keeping her back to Donne._

_A short while later he lifted her over his shoulders and sat her on them, “no playing in the trees Minidas not unless I’m here okay?”_

_“But what can I dooooo Mam and Da won’t play!”_

_“Well, pretty soon you’ll be going to the school”._

_“Don’t want to. Hate people”._

_Donne turned them and pointed to where the body had been, “you’re going to school or you end up living with him”._

_“No! No! I’m living with you no!”_

_“Good. You’ll go to school then?”_

_She huffed, “fine…stupid school”._

_“You’ll be a bright spark Minidas…my Minidas”._

_“DoMinidas” she yelled and hollered._

_Donne smiled, “yeah, the DoMinidas…that’s a good name Mini. We’ll keep it secret though. A message from me to you? Anytime you want me or I want you, we use it?”_

_“Okay- Donne m’hungry!”_

_Donne laughed, “mile a minute you are… let’s go see if Mam’s got any of her Welsh Cakes we can have yeah Miranda?”_

_“Miranda”_

_Miranda_

“Hello Miranda”

* * *

Miranda shot up quickly, panting and looking at the end of the bed, a figure stood there, hidden by darkness. She rolled for the light and turned it on. Looking back at the end of the bed she saw nobody was there.

“mm...Miranda? y’Kay?”

She looked at Max who was rubbing his eyes against the sudden light.

“Yeah…just…nightmare” she breathed and rubbed her neck. He nodded and sat up, he wrapped an around her and kissed her head.

“You were tossing in your sleep earlier. Must’ve been a nasty one”.

“Don’t really remember it now but yeah…I think it was…” she sighed and rested into his embrace, “sorry for waking you”.

“Never be sorry” he smiled and kissed her nose, “you’ve been through a lot recently, it’s bound to be lurking in your subconscious”.

“You put up with a lot” she replied and rested her head against his body, “how do you do it?”

“Love is never putting up with something” he replied, “it’s never a chore to me. Never. Loving you is an acceptance, a surrender to a very scary Welsh woman”.

She smiled and kissed him, “so my love is surrendering to a German man who can eat his weight in cookies?”

Max laughed, “ja and you just have to accept that”.

She wrinkled her nose but smiled, “you love me for all my faults”.

“Of course. Even the weird ones”.

“Pfft they’re not weird”.

“Doing those bendy moves and being annoyed when I think it means you want sex is weird”.

“It’s called doing yoga”.

“When your body bends that way Miranda it’s called _foreplay_ ” he grinned and she laughed.

“For you maybe” she hugged him and the covers close, “will you hold me?”

“Course…let’s leave the light okay? You usually sleep better with it on”.

“t-Thank you” she said, she glanced at the foot of the bed again and shut her eyes. It was just a dream.

Her brother wasn’t really here.

He was elsewhere on the island causing havoc.

Donne wasn’t in the apartment; it was just her and Max. Her boyfriend.

She smiled as Max’s arms held her close, pressing his soul to hers. She squeezed his hand and smiled, drifting back into a mercifully dreamless sleep.

Max woke to find Miranda was still asleep, he rarely woke up before her. Miranda’s natural body clock making her wake at 6AM to go for a run or to tease him. He stroked her face and kissed her hand, “oh my love. Time to tease you”.

He slowly shifted so she was on her back, her hand fell to her chest and she smiled in her sleep.

He grinned and pulled the covers back. He parted her legs and smiled as she stirred.

“Ohh Schatz” he growled and took her shorts off, “don’t you go kicking me”.

“Max?”

He grinned at looked at her, now awake and smiling at him.

“Morning” he grinned before he hitched her legs over his waist.

“Definitely letting you wake up first more” she breathed and smiled, letting her eyes shut as Max turned her to jelly.

Miranda sipped her coffee as Max made them some breakfast, waking up early to have her legs on Max’s waist and her shorts cast aside. It was, she thought with a blush, her favourite way to wake up.

Usually she teased him, tempting him into sex after a run.

She never thought she could find love as strongly as she had. Her heart well and truly belonged to Max Winter, and she would risk everything to keep him safe.

Miranda grinned at him as he tried to flip the pancakes.

According to Max, his pancakes were the best in the world, he wasn’t wrong, but she wasn’t going to let him think he was right all the time.

Especially given she had been waking up almost every day now in his apartment, in his arms.

They had been going out now for half a year. 6 months of loving Max and being loved in return.

And he showed no signs of wanting to slow their relationship down.

She glanced at her wrists.

Faint scars were still visible from what Palmer had done to her. She traced them with a frown. It was coming up to Palmer’s trial and she had been going over her notes about that awful time.

Perhaps that was why she was having bad dream after bad dream. Donne and the DoMinidas had been suspiciously quiet and her mind had gone into overtime thinking what he could be doing. Donne being back was bad news, him being quiet was terrifying. Whatever he was planning couldn’t be good.

She just had to hope that her loving Max was enough protection for him.

She looked at him as he cut some strawberries up and smiled, she would protect this man. But to do that she would and probably should, move in with him.

“Max?”

“Mmm?”

“I’ve been thinking…” she sighed, “we’ve been together a while now a-and we hardly spend any time in my apartment…”

Max smiled at her, “I mean I was going to ask you to move in tonight at dinner”.

She grinned, “so you’d want me in your life, in your apartment permanently?”

“Schatz it’s a struggle to not keep you tied to the bed every morning”.

Miranda rolled her eyes, “I can easily escape ties”.

“Ja I don’t doubt that…but” he grinned and approached with a plate of pancakes and strawberries, “my love” he kissed her neck and placed the plate in front of her, “I would _love_ to test that theory”.

She flushed, “seems like pretty soon we’ll have plenty of time to test it out”.

Max grinned and fed her a strawberry, “God Schatz you turn me on”.

She held his finger in place, licking the juice from the strawberry, sucking the finger and making Max whimper.

“Maybe it should be you tied to the bed” she grinned.

Max nodded, “ja definitely”.

She grinned, “so you said dinner tonight? Where had you planned?”

“Well, it’s our anniversary tomorrow so I thought we could go to a place that makes Paella…Ca’n Manolo”.

“Ooo we’ve driven past there haven’t we?”

Max smiled, “so we are going there tonight and then when we get back here lots of sex”.

Miranda laughed, “of course. A perfect way to start our anniversary; sex”.

“Ja well Inés has got us on the night shift tomorrow”.

Miranda smiled as he sat, “we’ll have to have lots of coffee then to keep you and your wandering hands from falling asleep”.

“You love my wandering hands” he laughed.

“Not when I’m trying to read” she laughed, “I’m getting confused with the names of those Houses because of your hands”.

Max grinned and shovelled half a pancake into his mouth, “it makes me so happy you are reading Harry Potter…I mean the author is a dick but she built a good world”.

“It’s a nice break from my usual reads. I bought the second one the other day”.

Max smiled as she bit into the pancake.

“Jesus Max stop cooking so good I’m going to get fat”.

“You can cook breakfast next time” he offered.

“You want burnt toast and half a banana?”

“God no” he said, “you stick to your dinners and lunches. Leave me to breakfast and brunch”.

Miranda nodded, “sounds good to me”.

* * *

Donne looked across the street and at the two figures walking hand in hand. He smiled and sipped his coffee.

They kissed before getting into an old BMW that had no roof. He watched as she turned to the man and said something, he laughed and pulled her into another kiss.

He pressed a button on his phone and the man stopped laughing.

She raised her hand to her ear.

He let the sounds of Mallorca flood through the phone, keeping his eyes on her, “so you had a sleepover last night. I thought little Minidas hated sleepovers”.

“d-Donne?”

“Of all the people to have a sleepover with Mini…I hope you used protection. Don’t need to give you the sex talk do I?”

“Where are you?”

He saw her shift and look around, the man did too. Max. He smiled as the name came to him.

“Let me speak to Max”.

“No”.

“Let me speak to Max, Minidas”.

She huffed and handed her phone across. Max looked around before putting the phone to his ear.

“You hurt her and I will make sure your end is worse than anything you have ever come across”.

Max gulped, “i-I won’t be hurting her. I can assure you”.

“Maybe I’ll let her hurt you. You really sure you want to be with her?”

Max looked at Miranda, “I love her”.

“Doesn’t mean you won’t hurt her. She’s killed people Max. _Innocent_ people. I hope you understand what you’re getting into”.

“I love her” Max repeated, “you can’t scare me off from that Donne”.

“Maybe not…have a look who Bryn Jones was... late 80’s…Aberystwyth. _Then_ I’ll find you and ask you in person if you really love my sister. Hwyl fawr” he hung up and smirked as Max clearly had something important to say to Miranda.

Max looked at Miranda and handed her back her phone.

“Max-“

“So, I was thinking you should move in to my apartment on our next day off? It won’t take us long because well, how much stuff do you even have at your place now?”

She hadn’t expected this, she had thought he would give her hell over Donne having her number.

“Not much stuff” she smiled, “okay then, next day off we get we’ll take what you’ve got left in your apartment, bring it over to mine and properly christen the bed”.

Miranda laughed, “the amount of times we’ve christened that bed Max”.

“Ja oh God Miranda I’m picturing it now”.

She hit his shoulder, “pack it in. I don’t need you thinking about sex whilst we’re at work”.

“I always think about sex with you when we are at work…what we could do… _where we could do it_ ”.

Miranda rolled her eyes, “we’ve discussed this. We are _not_ having sex on the desk. Nope”.

Max laughed, “so…Donne has your number?”

Miranda huffed, “yes. He does. He’s not phoned me in a while but yes…dear ol’Donne…”

Max bit his lip, “and he’s your brother?”

Miranda looked at him, “yes. He is. He’s 14 years older than me. The wanted child of the Blake family”.

“He threatened to hurt me if I hurt you”.

“Anything else?”

“Nope. Just sort of gave me that older brother talk. Probably good thing he doesn’t know we had sex”.

Miranda looked in the wing mirror of the car, looking for her brother in the crowd, “yeah” she answered before putting her sunglasses on.

She felt sure Max was lying to her about something but what it was she couldn’t think.

* * *

When they got to work, Inés, as usual was already there and glaring at everyone over her coffee.

She looked at Miranda and nodded once.

“What how come you get a nod and I get a death threat?” Max protested, “is it cause she’s secretly super scared of you?”

“Max I don’t think anything could scare Inés. If anything I’m scared of her”.

“Big bag _Minidas_ scared? I’ll protect you Schatz”.

Miranda smiled, “good”.

Miranda smiled, “maybe it’s you that needs protecting from Inés”.

Max nodded, “definitely. She knows one of us steals her coffee”.

“ _One_ of us?”

“Okay but you can’t blame me. You make me want to risk it every time you bring a mug of the good stuff over”.

Miranda chuckled and checked her emails, “you have your own mind cariad. You can always choose not to risk her wrath for the coffee”.

“Ja. But where’s the fun in that?”

Miranda rolled her eyes and at her desk, turning her computer on to check her emails. There was one that was a valiant attempt on Christian’s part to con her into a social event. Another stating her order had been dispatched, and one that stopped her heart.

**_URGENT: ABBEY PALMER HAS REQUESTED TO SEE YOU_ **

“Schatz? You okay?”

Miranda looked up at Max’s concerned face, “Yeah course…just a few orders been dispatched. Bought a new dress for when we _finally_ celebrate Palmer being sent to jail”.

Max smiled, “ja? What colour?”

“Red…you know that strappy one you said you would ri-“

“Blake. Winter. If you are discussing your sex life I would very much appreciate it if it was done outside of the office? I do not need a description I get the previews every night”.

Max flushed as Inés smirked at them.

Miranda chuckled and minimised her e-mails. She could deal with Palmer wanting to speak to her later, right now, Inés was smirking.

And that, was never a good thing.

Miranda sipped her coffee as she watched Max emerge from his- well, given she'd soon be moving in, _their_ bedroom. She smiled at him, “so…date night is off then”.

“Yeah” he sighed and straightened his bowtie, “sorry”.

“Don’t be. I get to see you looking hot and I’m being paid to do so” she grinned and kissed him, ruffling his hair as she did.

He laughed, “you are a pest. Hands at your sides Blakey” before he flattened his hair down. Inés had given them the job of pretending to be, well, Max had to pretend to be, a man jilted at the alter. She slipped a ring on his finger and then took her watch off. She clasped it around his wrist and smiled, "perfect...very vulnerable".

Miranda was going to be listening in and watching out for _La puta de Palma_. A crudely named woman who had a taking to men who looked sad and lonely. Fooling them into promises of more than soft kisses before they were found naked, tied to a bed with all their money and valuables taken.

“I’m still not happy with you being bait” Miranda said with a pout.

“Jaaa well if roles were reversed I wouldn’t be happy with you being preyed upon by men”.

“Max” Miranda laughed and folded his cuffs, “no man would dare approach me because you gave me the biggest love bite on my neck. It’s taken me half an hour to hide it”.

“Ja cause I don’t’ you forgetting you are mine”.

Miranda rolled her eyes, “as if I could forget that” she smiled, “you play nice okay? I’ll be in your ear the whole time but if you need out you say _Minidas_ ”.

“Minidas? Like-“

“Yes yes like my old nickname. But you say that and I know you need me”.

Max nodded, “understood” he stroked her cheek, “Minidas”.

She smiled and kissed his palm, “now go on. You need to get set up at the bar and I, lucky woman I am, get to spend time with _Alverez_ ”.

“Oh you sound so excited about that” he teased as she huffed.

“Yeah well you try spending more than five minutes with the man. He stares at my boobs and doesn’t talk to me unless it’s something sex related. Should let Donne see him”.

Max eyed her.

“I’m kidding Max” Miranda said and squeezed his hand, “okay? Kidding”.

Max nodded, “I know….just picturing what he’d do to me if ever I hurt you”.

Miranda shook her head but was smiling. She kissed him again before letting him leave his apartment and walk down the hill towards the epic-centre of bars and restaurants. All of which had been recently targeted by _La puta de Palma._

As Max walked down the road, he pulled out his phone and typed slowly and with purpose.

_Bryn Jones, Aberystwyth._

A few thousand results appeared so Max edited his search.

_Bryn Jones, Aberystwyth, murder._

The field was narrowed somewhat, going from 4,000 to 40.

He leaned against the wall and added one final word to his search.

_Bryn Jones, Aberystwyth, murder. Blake._

Two results appeared. The first one said;

**_Local paedophile found buried at the edge of an old family home. Bryn Jones, who went missing in 1988, was found today by M. Blake, aged 13._ **

Whilst the second one was of more interest to him;

**_Body of convicted paedophile, Bryn Jones, found by sister of murderer Donne Blake. Miranda Blake, aged 13 and possible last victim of Mr Jones._ **

Max clicked the link before he heard Miranda in his ear.

“You at the bar yet?”

“Ja I’m here…just outside. How’s Alvarez?”

“I got bored of him so I drugged his drink”.

“Miranda!”

“Oh relax he’s not even here yet” she huffed, “stop thinking the worst”.

“Stop saying the worst” he retorted with a grin before pocketing his phone.

“Max. I’ve got eyes on the CCTV…she’s at the bar...black dress, long blonde hair”.

Max nodded and moved into the bar, looking forlorn and depressed as he slumped to the bar. He ordered a shot before twisting the ring Miranda had placed on his finger an hour ago.

“Women troubles?”

Max looked up at the bartender and half laughed, “kinda…supposed to be getting married today. Caught by lovely bride to be; Miranda, having it off with my so called friend”.

 _“Don’t you dare”_ Miranda said in his ear.

“Christian”

“ _Withholding sex from you tonight”_

He drained his shot.

“Sorry to hear my friend” the man said, “clearly she wasn’t meant to be”.

Max half smiled as he refilled his shot glass.

“Clearly she had more secrets than I knew” before he took the shot. He finding making up a story about Miranda easier than he should’ve. Perhaps because he knew she had her own tales tell, it made it all the more easier to spin his own webs.

Maybe that was why Miranda had kept so much from him with so much ease.

His phone buzzed with a text and he ignored it. Tonight he had to work on _La puta de Palma._

Tomorrow would be a time for finally asking Miranda some well overdue questions.


	2. Chapter 2

Max looked around the bar and saw a few seats away, _La puta de Palma_.

_“She’s pretty”_

“Yeah you’re prettier” he muttered.

She chuckled in his ear, _“poor man…all dressed up with nobody to pay attention to him”._

Max sighed and ordered a beer.

“You lonely?”

He turned his head and saw the woman smiling at him.

“You could say that…today was meant to be my wedding day” he said bitterly, “got jilted…well, I caught her cheating”.

“Oh god…that’s rough” she approached him and saw in the seat beside him. She rubbed his hand, “my name is Natalia”.

“Max” he said and looked at her hand.

“You want to forget about your ex Max?”

Max gulped, “Ja…ja I do” as her hand slipped to his thigh and moved up towards his crotch.

_“I’d like to chop her hand off”._

Max stilled Natalia’s hand, “we uhm, I have an apartment? We could go there?”

“But what about your ex? Won’t she be there? No. come with me” she took Max’s hand and pulled him up.

“I don’t even know you” he laughed softly, “Natalia”.

She smirked and pulled him close, whispering against his ear, “hello Minidas”.

_“Max get out. Get out of there now”._

Max looked at Natalia and took the earpiece out.

“Turn your mic off”.

Max obeyed and looked at her, “are you-“

“Natalia”

Max turned and saw a tall blonde man. He was muscle-built and smartly dressed. He oozed fear.

Natalia backed up, “I’ve done my job. N-now leave me be”.

“Oh sweetheart. You’re going to prison. My darling sister will be along soon. Very soon; I’ve seen her run. She’s fast” he looked at Max.

“So, we finally meet”.

Max gulped.

He could see Miranda in this man.

It was the eyes, calculating and yet so wide and full of life.

“Donne”.

He smiled, “you are going to walk with me Max. I won’t harm you”.

Max nodded and approached Donne, “I looked up Bryn Jones”.

“Ah yes…Bryn” he laughed, “not the first one she killed”.

Max stopped, “s-she what?”

“You didn’t think I killed him did you?” Donne laughed, “no no…Bryn Jones was the work of our lovely Miranda” he grabbed Max’s arm and pulled him out of the bar.

“We walk”.

Max’s phone vibrated and he moved to answer it.

“Don’t”.

Max looked at Donne, “she’ll find us”.

“I don’t doubt that” Donne laughed, “so…you know he died…you know she killed him”.

“I still love Miranda. If that’s what you’re getting at. Nothing can stop that Donne” Max said, “I thought I wanted to know about her…but no. I love her, she’ll let me know what I need to know. I don’t want to get it from you”.

“So you don’t want to know if Miranda was a victim then?” Donne smirked, “if Bryn…hurt her?”

Max looked at Donne.

“i-I”

Donne laughed, “I thought so. Get into the car” he ordered and pulled out some keys. He pressed one and a black car flashed its lights.

“I gotta tell you now if you’re planning on kidnapping me-“

“I’m not kidnapping you. I just want to talk. And I can hear Mini approaching”.

Max turned and true to form, he saw Miranda running, sprinting down the road towards them.

Donne pressed a gun to Max’s back, “get into the car Max”.

Max nodded and moved slowly to the car, he got in and Donne got in the drivers seat before he started the car. Pulling away just as Miranda reached them.

She cursed at Donne and started running after the car.

“She’s going to be pissed off”.

“Isn’t she always” Donne said, “ask your questions Max. You can play high and mighty over your morals but you want to know if Miranda was a victim of a paedophile?”

“i-I do”.

Donne nodded, “he’d been watching her for weeks. Just watching her play in the garden. She had these dungarees. Cute as a button if you can believe all that rage could ever be”.

Max nodded, “bet she never did as she was told”.

“Our Mam and Da left he to roam the forests…I don’t know what they did when I left but they never showed an interest in her when I was there. She was my little sister and I thought it was down to me to look after her”.

Max nodded and turned his phone off as he heard another call from Miranda.

“Good man…Bryn he was…he’d been spying on her. So I got a log and beat him over the head. Thought I killed him. Mini found him the next day still alive”.

“But-“

“She was 4 and she covered his mouth with her hand. Don’t think she realised what she had done. But she killed him. I buried the body for her but that was the first death”.

“The first?”

Donne nodded, “more people died because of us, because of her. I hurt people because it made her happy. And I wanted to keep her happy”.

Max nodded, “s-she uhm, s-she killed someone at 4?”

“I told her it couldn’t happen again. But she was so upset that I couldn’t resist it…Minidas wanted a death. I came home one day just to see her…Mam and Da were away and she was alone. She told me about the girls next door”.

Max paled, remembering a story about how they had locked her in a cupboard. Scared her.

“She was all alone Max. And these brats…they’d hurt her. Scared her. She was all alone with the lights on, crying her eyes out. What would you have done? I wanted to protect her. So I gave her a knife. A pocket knife…and we went to their house and hurt them. She had to be strong; I had to _know_ she was strong when I wasn’t there”.

“w-Wh-How old was she?”

“9”.

Max felt sick, “you made a 9 year old hurt someone?! You made her-y-you”.

Donne laughed, “she didn’t stab them, she hurt them. I tried to get the other but Mini ran and hid as she woke... They were scared of me. But Mini was waiting. She jumped out of the cupboard they’d locked her in and the girl fell down the stairs. I only just got her out of the house and hidden but someone saw me. I had to disappear in the night and…I never saw Wales again…kept my eyes on her though. Always had someone watching my Minidas”.

“What happened to the girls?”

“They were mostly fine”.

“Mostly?”

“Well” Donne laughed, “one was paralysed”.

“One?”

“I killed the other...before I got Mini out I made sure she wouldn't recover from her wounds. They knew it was me though…Miranda i-I tried to get in contact with her but I couldn’t get through. Kept my eyes on her when I could. Wanted to kill our parents for what they put her through”.

“I would never hurt her like you all did. You hurt her just as much as they did. You abandoned her!”.

“Tell me Max what good could I have done with a 9 year old. I was on the run for Christsake! She would’ve been placed in care and who knows what. Tell me, what could I have done?!”

Max turned his phone on and glared at him, “tell that to Miranda when she wakes up after a nightmare. Crying out for love”.

He phoned Miranda back and she answered straight away.

“Max?! Max where are you?! Please tell me you’re safe?!”

“I’m fine. I’m fine. Donne was giving me a lift home. Apparently that woman isn’t very nice…you arrest her?”

“Yes of course I – Max get out of the car. I’ll come to you. Just please get away from him”.

“Miranda what happened to those girls who locked you in the cupboard? Donne said they were paralysed”.

Miranda went silent, “please come home. If you want to know my life I’ll tell you…but hear it from my lips, p-please…just come home” she hung up and Max took a look at Donne.

“Drop me off here”.

“Max-“

“Now” Max said, “if Miranda wants to tell me her life she will. Now if you’ll excuse me I have a girlfriend to go treasure. Stop the car”.

Donne pulled up, “you do love her don’t you Max?”

Max got out of the car, “of course I do. She is my world”.

Donne nodded, “be careful. Awful things happen to men who fall in love”.

“And awful things happen to family members all the time” Max said, “I’d watch your back Donne. Miranda doesn’t like to share”.

Donne laughed, “how do you think I got this”.

Donne pulled back sleeve and revealed a jagged scar down his elbow.

“She was three”.

Max gulped.

“I’m warning you now. Because I can hurt you nicely, Miranda? She’ll torture”.

Max got out of the car and walked away from it, hands shaking. He looked around for a sight that was familiar to him and found Miranda.

“Didn’t anybody teach you getting into strange men’s cars was bad?”

He moved to her and crushed her into a hug.

She gripped him and hugged back, “what’s with the clinging hey? He’s not _that_ scary”.

He kissed her neck and gripped her tighter, “I love you Miranda. Your secrets are yours. I don’t want to know them from anyone else but you. Okay? Nobody”.

He pulled back and looked at her, placing his hands on her shoulders, “I love you. I don’t care if you’ve done something awful” he stroked her face, “because I love you for that and more”.

Miranda placed her hand over his, and smiled softly, “maybe we should have that date night now? I think a few bars are open”.

Max smiled and kissed her, “I was thinking…maybe a takeaway in bed” he slipped his hand down to cup her butt and he smiled, “I can do all manner of things then”.

Miranda grinned, “alright. But you’ve got to promise me; you can keep your secrets but never get into a car alone with Donne again?”

“I promise” he said, “unless you’re in danger and Donne is being possessive”.

“Max” Miranda said, “don’t joke around. Never get into a car with him”.

Max nodded, “i-I okay. I promise. I won’t”.

She smiled and stroked his face, “thank you”.

He pulled her close and smiled as she tried to kiss him, “now now my love…you mentioned this morning about handcuffs…”

Miranda furrowed her brow, “I’ll cuff you up sure but I’m not being cuffed to bed. I’m very cross you let her feel you up”.

“Oooo ja Scary Blake!” he cheered and twirled her, “ _helo_ sweetheart” he grinned.

“Max” Miranda laughed, “pack it in!”

“Never. You know Scary Blake loves it”.

“Scary Blake is gonna throw up if you twirl me again. Pack it in” she laughed as he lifted her over his shoulder.

Max laughed and held her tight, “tell me. What is Scary Blake going to do to me?”

“Tie you up” she said, “definitely” she stroked his neck, “might give you a few love bites”.

“Sex?”

“Nope. I’ll be completely naked but you’ll be fully clothed and with nobody to-”.

Max grumbled, “think I should be the naked one”.

Miranda untied his bow tie and played with the tie, tightening it slightly she growled low, “and distract me from having fun?”

Max whined and put her down, she toyed with his tie and smirked.

“You going to behave?”

Max nodded and gripped the tie.

She smirked and let go.

“Come on then” she said and turned around to walk off.

Max took the tie off his shirt and ran to her. Walking in step he held her hand, “Scary Blake?”

Miranda huffed but smiled, “yes?”

He squeezed her hand, “I love you”.

She looked at him, “love you too sap. But take your fingers from your- oi!”

Max laughed and held her wrists up. He’d tied them quickly with his tie.

“Pretty” he grinned and dragged her along with it, “come on love”.

Miranda seemed to be playing along with his game, because when he expected her to protest, she simply followed on. Smiling at him.

Seemingly content to be his prisoner. He knew there would be hell to pay after, but he didn’t mind.

For now, he had Miranda, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

Having Miranda’s wrists tied lasted all of two minutes.

As soon as the door shut to the bedroom she had him pinned to the wall with his hands tied behind his back.

“Oh god” he moaned, “you complete tease I thought you were being good”.

“I got bored of being good. It’s no fun” she chuckled. She pressed her body to his hand, "I'd rather be so bad" and he moaned.

“Miranda…please” he whined.

“Kneel” she ordered and left his body.

He knelt, obeying quickly.

“m-Miranda?”

He felt a gag go around his mouth and he moaned again.

“Happy anniversary babe” she chuckled and kissed his head, “you going to behave?”

He whined and nodded. Looking into her eyes.

“Good. Stay there. I need to finish my reports”.

Max groaned as she left him.

Miranda chuckled, “stop those eyes now Mister”.

Max smirked and turned.

“Max”.

He stood.

“Max” she laughed.

He wriggled his hands free, and tugged the gag down, “run” he growled.

“Max!” She squealed and ran around his apartment as he chased her.

* * *

Miranda smiled up at Max and experimentally tugged on the handcuffs. He grinned at her.

“Super Max one. Scary Blake-“

“I can get out of these anytime I want”.

“Can you?”

Miranda huffed, “fine no I can’t...”

Max grinned and sat back, “I can’t think of a better way to spend tonight”.

She grinned at him, “feed me a strawberry then”.

“Happily” he growled and bucked his hips, “but later. First sex”.

“Again?”

“Well ja. I want to celebrate _finally_ getting the best of you”.

“Bold of you to presume I didn’t just let you” she replied but wrapped her legs around his waist.

Max laughed, “ja right” and kissed her, “I’m going to wear your body out so that’ll you’ll be begging me to massage your legs” he stroked his hands up her thighs. Grinning as she moaned at his touch.

“Ohh Max” she moaned, “bring it on”.

“Patience Blake” he said softly, “I’ve got you in a good position…really good…so I’m going to take my time…caressing every moment, every touch”.

Miranda shivered, “stop your talking, start your moving”.

Max grinned and gripped her hips, “bring out Scary Blake. I want to _fuck_ her”.

Miranda whimpered, “Max…s-stop teasing…start doing things I’m going crazy”.

Max grinned and laughed, “Blakey Blakey Blakey…finally I’m sending you crazy” before he kissed her and buried his face and body against hers.

“O-Ohh” she breathed, “Max” she said softly, “n-now might not be a good time to tell you b-but I haven’t got any pills left…m-meant to go last week but I forgot”.

Max looked at her, “we’ve risked a lot before. We’ll be fine. Wrong week right?”

Miranda nodded, “yeah far too late in my cycle for a baby”.

Max nodded and kissed her, “although having a baby with you wouldn’t so bad my love…a girl? Or a boy?”

He rolled his hips and she moaned, “fine by me get practising”.

Max laughed, “we _are_ going to have a serious discussion about this you know”.

“We’ve been together 6 months Max. We’re not having a baby discussion for at least another 6 months”.

“So we can have one?”

“Max” she breathed low, “you are currently in the middle of fucking me. Do you _really_ think now is the best time for-“ she cut off as he slammed his hips to hers.

“Christ” she groaned, “shit Max”.

Max smirked, pleased with himself, “did that hit the spot?”

“n-No” she whimpered.

“Really?”

He repeated the action.

“Okay okay yes it did Max” she breathed, “please I want to touch you. Hold you close… please Max”.

Max kissed her neck and bit, sucking the flesh before he looked at her, “nope” before he grinned wolfishly, “I’m worshipping you tonight. Making you so exhausted you won’t leave the bed”.

He stroked a hand up to hold hers and he smiled, “I love you Miranda”.

“Love you too” she said, “but please. Don’t ever stop sex”.

* * *

_Miranda sniffed and looked out at the bright blue lights from her bedroom window. Donne had told her he would be back soon, he promised. And he always kept his promises._

_But now he wasn’t here and an ambulance was outside the neighbours’ house and there was a police car._

_She liked the police car. A tall man stepped out and looked up at her. He waved and she rubbed her nose and waved back._

_He was tall like Donne._

_She stared at him before she looked at the pocket knife Donne had given her._

_He’d made her press it to the big girls throat as she slept. She hadn’t woken. But it had excited Miranda to be doing big girl work with Donne._

_She folded the knife and put it in her schoolbag. Donne would want it safe, would want her to always have it._

_When he got back she’d tell him about her karate lessons and how her piano teacher made her want to break his fingers over the stupid keys._

_How much she wanted to hurt the girls in her class who laughed at her._

_At the boys who had flipped her skirt and pushed her over._

_She glared, she hated people._

_Hated them so much._

_A knock at the front door made her look up._

_“Donne?”_

_She grinned and ran down the stairs, jumping down and grabbing the key from the side. She unlocked it and smiled, “Donne!” before she frowned._

_It wasn’t Donne._

_It was the tall policeman._

_“Helo” he said, “is your Mam or-“_

_She glared, “Donne said I’m not to talk to strange men”._

_“My names PC Peryn…there’s been a little incident at the house next door. Is your Mam or Da in?”_

_When Miranda didn’t reply he added, “is Donne your Da?”_

_“No he’s my brother”._

_“Is he in?”_

_“Obviously not. I thought you were Donne”._

_“Are your Mam and Da awake?”_

_Miranda glared, “you’re a strange man asking too many questions” she said and moved to shut the door._

_“You’re a very clever young lady” he held out his police badge, “that’s my name and officer number if you want to check”._

_She looked at it and then at him, “you had hair”._

_He laughed, “yes I did”._

_She sighed and opened the door further for him to step into the house._

_“Mam and Da are out today. Donne will be home soon”._

_“And what’s your name?”_

_“Miranda”._

_“Miranda, how long have your Mam and Da been out?”_

_Miranda shrugged, then remembered her manners, “would you like a cup of tea?”_

_PC Peryn shook his head, “no no I’m fine…are you alone here Miranda?”_

_“I told you. Donne will be home soon”._

_PC Peryn nodded and spoke into his radio, “Mae yna blentyn drws nesaf, ar ei ben ei hun”._

_“I can understand Welsh” she cut in icily._

_PC Peryn half smiled, “you shouldn’t be alone Miranda. You are very young”._

_“I’m fine. My brother only popped out to get some milk. We’ve got none left a-and Mam and Da they had to go see my Grandmama…she’s ill a-and I-I didn’t want to go”._

_“Is that all true?”_

_“Yes! Donne will be home any minute. I was scared by all the noises a-and I-i couldn’t sleep”._

_PC Peryn nodded, “okay…well I’m going to wait with you till your brother gets home then”._

_Miranda trembled._

_“Or would you prefer a female colleague?”_

_She shook her head, “I don’t want anyone”._

_“I have to stay. You are a minor and you should-“_

_A car pulling up outside cut PC Peryn off._

_“s-See..that’s Donne”._

_Miranda ran to the door and opened it. Her heart sank as she saw her parents._

_“Miranda? What the bloody hell are you doing awake?!” her mother exclaimed and grabbed her by the arm, “go on off with-“_

_“Ma’am?” PC Peryn said._

_Miranda pulled free and rubbed her arm, staring with wet eyes at the red marks her nails had caused._

_“Ma’am there has been an incident next door”._

_Miranda’s Da moved in and looked at Miranda, “off to bed now”._

_Miranda backed up and looked at the officer, “are the girls okay? T-They’re my friends”._

_PC Peryn smiled sadly, “maybe you should listen to your Mam and Da and go on off to bed?”_

_She nodded and sniffed, “Donne will be back soon he promised”._

_PC Peryn nodded._

_“Donne was here?” her Mam asked, “of course he never waits long enough to see his old Mam-“_

_“We believe Donne was involved in the incident” PC Peryn said._

_Miranda’s Da took her hand in his and led her upstairs._

_“Miri where’s Donne?” he asked her as they got to the top of the stairs, “where’s your brother?”_

_Miranda shrugged, “he told me he’d be back…d-Da” she sniffed, “have I done something wrong? C-cause d-Donne said he’d be back home”._

_Her Da opened her bedroom door and nudged her inside, “bed. Now Miranda”._

_“Da?”_

_“And stop your crying you big baby. Only babies cry. That’s why your brother doesn’t come around anymore. Doesn’t want to see his big baby of a sister”._

_Miranda looked down and wiped her eyes, “m’sorry”._

_“Good”_

_She shut her door and sat against it. Crying into her knees as she did her best to keep her tears silent._

_Her Da was right, Donne didn’t want to be around her anymore. That’s why he’d not come back._

_She was a big baby. Full of stupid emotions and feelings._

_Donne didn’t like babies._

_She stood and wiped her eyes. She moved to her school bag and looked at the pocket knife._

_She was Minidas._

_She was tough._

_And nobody would break down her walls and get to her ever again._

_There was a knock on her door, “Miranda? It’s PC Peryn. I’m going now but I’ve got something for you”._

_Miranda opened the door and he handed her a hair tie. One she vaguely remembered tying her hair with earlier._

_“The DoMinidas will contact you”._

_She eyed it, “Donne?”_

_“He’s always watching” Peryn said, “always”._

_She tied her hair up and smiled slightly._

_“You got anything for him?”_

_She nodded and ran to her drawers, pulling out a drawing of her and Donne she had done at school._

_She folded it and handed it to Peryn._

_“Very good. You know, you’d make a good Police Officer Miranda. I would never have suspected you were even in that house if not for your hair tie”._

_Miranda nodded and raised her knife to him, “leave me alone”._

_Peryn chuckled and squeezed her shoulder, “I’ll let Donne know you’re okay Miranda?”_

* * *

Miranda sat up quick and panted, looking around for Max she saw he was standing in the doorway.

“Hey? You okay?”

“Nightmare” she said and shakily got out of the bed. She hugged him tightly.

Max rubbed her back and kissed her head, “want to talk about it?”

Miranda shivered, “mm…yeah sure…i-I want to get some more clothes on”.

Max nodded, “hang on” he said and moved to his drawer, pulling out a jumper he handed it to her.

She smiled and shrugged his jumper on.

“Beautiful” he chuckled, “you want tea?”

She nodded, “m’kinda hungry too…”

Max smiled, “we’ve got to stop prioritising sex over food”.

Miranda laughed, “yeah probably a good idea”.

He held her hand and took her to the sofa, “so as today is actually the 6 month anniversary that we first-“

“Did it” Miranda cut in with a grin.

“Ja did it” he grinned, “very good doing it we had”.

“I’ll make some paella to celebrate”.

“Good job I’m buying condoms today. You and your paella really turns me on”.

Miranda chuckled and cuddled his side as he sat beside her.

“So you going to tell me about your nightmare?”

Miranda nodded, “i-I will. Cup of tea first though”.

“Ja? And chocolate biscuits?”

“Mmm sounds good” she said and reluctantly, let him go. When Max returned with tea and biscuits, she realised she’d been zoning out.

He sat by her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“I was 9” she said softly, “in the dream, I was 9 again…Donne had come round for a visit a-and I was on my own. My parents had gone away leaving me alone again”.

“I hate your parents” Max grumbled, “what people leave a 9 year old alone”.

“Max?”

“Mmm?”

“y-You remember I told you about the kids next door? The ones who’d locked me in the cupboard?”

“Yeah”.

“i-I dreamt about what happened that night. Donne and I went to their room…scared them…I hurt one...with my knife...b-but i-I got really scared, ran to the cupboard again. And when the youngest came running I leapt out. I scared her and then she was on the floor…at the bottom of the stairs and Donne was telling me to run. He screamed at me to run and he got me out b-but…people knew…someone knew it wasn’t an accident. A policeman came round and that was the first time I heard DoMinidas. Donne was going to keep an eye on me always…but the damage of my parents had been done. They knew…th-they knew I was psychotic. Kept me away from kids…every day after school they locked me in my room until I had my school work done. I’d get to play in the garden but I’d be alone. Always alone”.

“Did Donne ever come back?”

Miranda shook her head, “the next time I saw him was here in Palma”.

Max kissed her head, “what happened when you found the body at the bottom of the garden?”

Her breath hitched.

“Miranda?”

“I cried…I screamed and cried and had a full blown panic attack. I was 13 a-And I saw body; a skeleton and I could just hear this man’s voice. Begging me for help. Max t-there’s I-i I think there’s something wrong with me”.

“No”.

“But Max i-i”

“No you listen to me Miranda” he said sternly and stroked her face, “there is nothing wrong with you. _Nothing_.” He kissed her and brushed the tears away, “nothing wrong at all”.

“I killed people. Max. I was 4 and i-i i-“

“You were 4 yes, but I don’t care. He was a bad man…you know that yes?”

She nodded.

“You didn’t mean for the girls to get hurt?”

“I-i wanted them to be hurt b-but-but I never intended on hurting them...I just wanted to make Donne stay”.

“And anybody else?”

Miranda sighed and rested her head against his chest, “I feel anger sometimes Max. I want to hit out lash out”.

He stroked her back, “I know” he breathed, “but my Scary Blake…you’ll always have me. I promise you’re always going to have me”.

“y-Yeah?”

“Yeah” he smiled, “I told you. I’m with you in every breath, every move, each moan” he grinned and squeezed her butt.

Miranda giggled, “Max”.

He smiled and kissed her again, “so…eat your biscuits and drink your tea. Hungry Blake turns to Horny Blake very quickly”.

“Oh so many Blakes” Miranda chuckled and picked up a biscuit, “how do you cope with us”.

“I learn tricks for each one. They all love me”.

“Mmm they do” she agreed and ate another biscuit, “you make me feel safe and wanted”.

Max stroked the crumbs from her lips, “I’m glad to”.

She smiled, “you’d be a good Dad”.

Max chuckled, “you think?”

“Mmm I do” she grinned, “you’d show it how to play football…or comfort them after a nightmare…we’d walk hand in hand down Palma beach with it a-and-“she cut off and sniffed.

“Heyy we don’t have to talk about this now” he said and stroked her cheek, “okay?”

Miranda nodded and took a third biscuit before gulping down her tea.

He smiled at her, “Miranda?”

“Mmm?”

“We’ve got a few hours to kill later…think we can get all of your stuff packed and here by the end of the day?”

She smiled at him, “so I’ll be here…permanently?”

“Yeah you will” he smiled.

“I like that”.

She kissed him and cuddled into his body. Max wrapped his arms around her waist automatically, drawing her into his soul, to keep her there, safe and protected. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mae yna blentyn drws nesaf, ar ei ben ei hun-  
> There's a kid next door, alone


	3. Chapter 3

Miranda found Max had carried her into bed at some point, something she loved. Max looking out for her and her being so content and happy with him she let him do that.

Her continuous nightmares had were troublesome, and Max shouldn’t have to put up with so much of it. It was an annoyance to her so god knows what they were to him.

Max, she noted, was fast asleep beside her and whilst she would like to wake him up to sex she knew they had work to get done. Namely reports and a late interview with Natalia who had proven easy to arrest.

 _Minidas_ she had whispered.

Miranda looked at herself in what she supposed she should now call their mirror.

She looked tired.

And puffy.

She glared back at herself, “time for a run” she said and got off the bed only to find Max’s arm snake her back into bed.

“Nu-uh” he muttered and cuddled her, “sleep starts in five minutes”.

“Max that doesn’t make any sense” she laughed.

“Mmm you make sense” he said and snored.

Miranda rolled her eyes but smiled and looked at him, “I’m topless”.

Rather than opening an eye, Max’s hand crawled up her chest, “lies” he grumbled.

“I would’ve been if you hadn’t clawed me back into bed” she smiled and stroked his face, “I’m going for a run…you shower…we need to interview Natalia today and then grab my stuff from the apartment”.

Max nodded and buried his face in the pillow, finally relinquishing his hold.

“Thanks”.

Miranda took the jumper and shirt off before pulling on her gym gear. Max watched her from the bed and smiled.

“Miranda?”

She tossed her shorts at him and pulled on her running shorts before she laced her trainers, “yes?”

“Can we have shower sex?”

Miranda nodded, “if I’m back in time yeah course” she grinned, “you are such a needy man for sex Max”.

“Ja well when you’re bending like that it turns me on”.

She chuckled and kissed him, “I won’t be long…if I am you’ll just have to start without me”.

“Don’t go killing any drug dealers” he muttered into the kiss, “you’ve got to let me arrest some of them”.

She rolled her eyes, “I won’t kill them all”.

Max smiled, “well stay safe…love”.

She smiled and stroked his cheek, “I’ll be fine. Get your fine naked butt into the shower Max”.

Max nodded and slapped her butt before she moved free from him, laughing.

He grinned as she left.

Shower could wait. Coffee first. The longer he took for coffee, the higher the chance he could have sex.

Miranda ran faster than normal, wanting to get her mind away from thoughts of Palmer, Donne and Wales.

Every night since Palmer had been arrested had been a mess of nightmares, she’d done her best to keep them from Max but something eventually had to give. It was just a sheer coincidence that the day it did was the day Donne came back.

As though her mind could tell what was going to happen before she could.

She glanced at her watch, the orange digits rising as she powered on, _8.41K…8.42… Just a bit more._

“Bit more” she panted, lungs burning.

She ran down the long stretch of road, Max’s apart- home… _their home_ was on the right and if she was correct in her distances she’d come up to 9K by his and 10 if she just looped around the back.

She breathed low and pushed on, music pumping in her ears. It wasn’t her usual soundtrack but Max liked to surprise her by messing her playlists up with his own music. Getting her to listen to it when he knew she wouldn’t change the tracks.

She felt her ankle buckle before arms gripped her. Saving her from face-planting the road.

“Easy there”.

Miranda paused her watch and panted, “t-thank you” she said and looked at her saviour.

 _Donne_.

“What do _you_ want?” she snapped irritably.

“Charming as ever Mini”.

She shoved him away, “I’m busy. I have work in an hour”.

“Since when was screwing your boyfriend work?”

“Donne. Why are you here?”

“Go and see that Witch. I want to know what she told the British Police”.

Miranda scowled, “I don’t want to go anywhere near her”.

“I need you to”.

“Yeah well I needed you as a kid Donne. You might have me in your silly little games but this is my life. My life with my boyfriend, you don’t get to terrorise him. You don’t get to threaten him and you don’t get me to do your dirty work!”

Donne laughed, “Miranda you are forgetting one little detail”.

“What?”

“You are Minidas. Deny it all you like, but I know psycho when I see it. You’ll break. Eventually…they all do. You are a psychotic woman” he breathed, “and if I so much as threaten Max you will do as I say”.

“You threaten Max and it will be the last thing you do” she hissed and shoved him hard.

“You see” Donne laughed, “you showed your cards far too quickly Mini. Go see Palmer”.

Miranda nodded, “fine…fine” before she looked at her watch and at her run.

_9K_

She half smiled.

“You always were fast” Donne said suddenly, “especially when it came to bath time. Never could catch you”.

Miranda looked away and ended her run. Her watch vibrated, “maybe I sensed you were bad”.

“Or you wanted to run headfirst into danger” Donne chuckled.

“One of them” Miranda smiled.

“Will you go see her for me? Please Mini?”

Miranda nodded, “I will…she wanted to see me anyway”.

Donne smiled and hugged Miranda, “knew I could count on you Mini”.

She hugged back, “maybe you should come to dinner one day”.

“You’d want me around your cooking?”

“Hey! I can cook Donne. I make a mean Paella”.

“That so?”

“Well it got Max in my bed”.

Donne rolled his eyes, “I really don’t want to hear about my _little sisters’_ sex life”.

“Well stop threatening Max” Miranda countered and pulled away from him, “I have work. Palmer’s trial is coming up. Can you promise me you won’t do anything stupid? I’d like to see her go down for her crimes”.

“You giving evidence?”

Miranda nodded, “videoed it the other day…they don’t want me in court”.

“Really? Why?”

“Use your own powers to find that out Donne. I have a naked boyfriend to go see” Miranda said and darted across the road. Going down the side entrance to the apartment. Not wanting Donne to see which apartment she was going into, although she rather thought Donne knew anyway.

Miranda moved through the apartment with brief déjà vu before she stripped off and hugged Max in the shower. He grinned and turned, kissing her, “work up a sweat?”

“Course” she smiled and grabbed his butt, squeezing tightly, “handsome man…think we’ve got time before work”.

“Ja grabbing me like _that_ is only going to _ensure_ we have sex”.

“Good” she smiled and kissed him.

* * *

Inés _hated_ just how happy Max and Miranda were at times. It was sickening to witness Max go all goey-eyed and puppy dog all over Miranda. Especially when the latter seemed unable to resist. Quite the opposite from the serious grumpy Detective she could be.

Inés was quite sure she had almost walked in on them having sex in the middle of the office but Max had moved away fairly quickly. So quickly, in fact that it only made her more convinced they were doing something they shouldn’t. But they got results, and they were her favourite- not favourite Detectives.

Miranda had skimmed over the details of Donne, tossing only a handful of facts out.

The main one namely being that Donne was her brother.

Miranda smiled at something Max said and grabbed a mug from the desk, she handed it to Max and Inés eyed them carefully.

Her coffee supplies had suspiciously dwindled over the past few months. She was sure one of them had been taking coffee from her but she wasn’t sure which.

Miranda could be stealthy, she could sneak up like a pro. But Max? Max knew her schedules of leaving the office so could quite easily sneak her coffee away.

She looked at her computer and to briefly check her emails.

“Ma’am?”

Inés looked up and saw Miranda in the doorway. She was looking healthier than she had done, she couldn’t help but glance at Miranda’s wrists.

Miranda subconsciously pulled her hands behind her back, “can I speak to you about Palmer?”

Inés nodded.

Miranda moved into the room, shutting the door as she did.

“She’s requested I see her…I don’t know why b-but I’m going to go see her. I think I need some closure before the trial goes ahead”.

Inés nodded, “you don’t need to ask for my permission Detective”.

“I know but…I don’t want Max knowing”.

“Ah…so you want me to invent something for your boyfriend to do?”

Miranda nodded.

“Well, he can interview Natalia. She has been driving Davíd _loco_ with her constant chattering and screaming and eugh whining”.

Miranda smiled, “thanks…I emailed earlier to tell her I was going over”.

“Sounds like you have a few plans Miranda. Do tell me if there is going to be a clean up? Rico has gone to ground and won’t answer my calls”.

“It’s for his own safety” Miranda replied, “for your safety too…Donne met Max yesterday…”

“And who came off worse?”

Miranda looked at Max at their desk and turned to Inés, “he thinks Donne won’t lash out but he will…it’s just a matter of time. One argument…god help him if he finds out about _that_ argument”.

Inés nodded, “god help him if he ever steals my coffee again”.

Miranda looked at the coffee machine, “Max steals your coffee?”

“Well, I know you wouldn’t…would you?” Inés remarked, eyeing Miranda for any tells that would come in useful in the future. Miranda shook her head, “no. Max bought me a box of tea bags I keep in my drawer”.

Inés nodded, “mmm”.

Miranda smiled slightly, “if I was going to lie about something Inés don’t you think it would be about something worse than your coffee?”

Inés nodded, “sí. But you are an enigma Miranda. I do not understand you as well as I had thought”.

Miranda stood, “you want to know a secret?”

Inés raised an eyebrow.

“Neither do I” she looked at Max, “although Max seems to think he does…and maybe he’s right…I hope he is”.

* * *

Max looked at Miranda’s approach, “don’t tell me you are so daring you stole her coffee from in front of her?”

Miranda laughed and sipped the mug, “no. She let me have some”.

“That is so _unfair”_ Max pouted, “let me have some”.

Miranda kissed him quickly, “there”.

Max shivered, her kiss mixed with Inés coffee was something of a wonder. He smiled and she grinned, “I’ve got to go out for a bit…just a general check up at the Doctor’s…you okay to interview on your own?”

“Ja sure. You okay?”

“Mm just need to get more of my pills”.

“Ahh the magic baby killers”.

“Max!” Miranda laughed, “You can’t call them that”.

Max grinned, “ja well we don’t want one anytime soon do we” he grinned, “we still need to get your stuff from the apartment and with everything going on…I just want to cherish the time we have together first. You know…sex all day on our days off”.

“We tried that last month and what happened Max?”

Max pouted, “the bed broke”.

She chuckled at his face, “and?”

“And I did my back in”.

She stroked his face, “always so eager for sex cariad, how would you cope if I was pregnant ey?”

“Still have sex” he said happily.

Miranda stared at him with a withering glare that only further made him smile.


	4. Chapter 4

Miranda sat opposite Palmer and sipped her water, “I’m going to make this short and quick” she said, “you were investigating Donne”.

Palmer looked at Miranda, her hands shaking as she took her own cup of water.

“I was”.

Miranda nodded, “on your own?”

Palmer nodded, “m-Miranda i-i I wanted to see you t-to to let you know”.

“I don’t care about you Palmer. I have other priorities. Did you tell the MET anything?”

Palmer shook her head, “no…n-no I kept it all off grid. H-He contacted me, he knew what I had done. Knew I was your boss…told me to keep you in mind for anything involving transfers out here”.

Miranda nodded, “I see…okay. Have a nice life Palmer” Miranda said and stood up.

“Wait! Wait Miranda” Palmer said and grabbed Miranda’s hand. Miranda glared at the contact.

Palmer removed her hand and Miranda noted, they looked rough. Dry. Palmer was stressed about something.

“What?”

“Donne h-he wants to kill Max…you must know he won’t keep letting you play the shots…he’s going to kill him”.

“Like you were? You know I was going to kill you that day. I wanted to. I was so close to. Donne won’t kill Max. I won’t allow it”.

“You won’t have a choice…please you have to believe me Miranda I-I’m worth a lot to you alive. Please, I know places he hid. Places he has hidden…keep me safe and I can tell you them”.

Miranda laughed and leaned close, whispering low into Palmer’s ear, “bold of you to assume I won’t kill Donne if he so much as lays a hand on Max. Do remember, I am Minidas” she smiled sweetly, “and I’m feeling ever so threatened by you” before she walked to the door and knocked on it to be let out.

“Enjoy prison Palmer. I hear the food is shocking”.

* * *

Max looked at Natalia, smirking at him, “so the rumours are true. Big bad Donne has a little sister…and she has a boyfriend”.

“You should know that Miranda is not in the station and if you are scared of the DoMinidas we can offer you protection”.

“Scared of the DoMinidas?” Natalia laughed, “oh baby; everyone is”.

“I’m not” Max said, “my girlfriend’s brother is the head of the DoMinidas. Doesn’t that scare you?”

“Sleeping with your enemy?”

“She’s not my enemy” Max smiled, “we’re moving in together” he grinned.

Natalia rubbed her sides, “I’m not telling you anything”.

“That’s fine” Max smiled sweetly, “because Miranda’s back soon…you know, Minidas” he said, “she brings out Scary Blake- very sexy, very scary”.

Natalia gulped.

“So, if I were you…I would be telling me everything. Because Scary Blake is good for sex but you really don’t want to piss her off”.

“Donne told me to do it” Natalia blurted.

“Did he? Why?”

“i-I don’t know! He just he said t-to do it…to pick men a-and make it obvious… he paid me good money…told me he wanted he M-Minidas back. I could help he said”.

Max laughed, “Donne wants Minidas back? Sure” he rolled his eyes, “try a new card Natalia”.

“i-I he does!”

Max leaned in close, “Donne needs someone on the inside. He needs her here and I keep her very happy. So, tell me, _why did you do it_?!”

Natalia flinched, “he told me to target you! Get your attention to target you!”

“And if you had me what would’ve happened?”

“He would’ve killed you” Natalia whispered, “he wants you dead n-no matter what _she_ says”.

Max narrowed his eyes and stood, “you confessed to all of your crimes and now you have intent to assist with murder on your hands”.

“No” Natalia whispered in horror, “no!”

Max smiled and grabbed his file before moving to the door, “you are very lucky Natalia”.

“No please!”

“I have a strong feeling you’ll be dead by the end of the week. Donne doesn’t like people making mistakes does he?”

He smirked and left her with the question before he left the interview room.

“Miranda!” he smiled as she appeared at the end of the corridor, “you get what you need?”

She smiled at him and showed she was on the phone.

She approached him speaking into it, “yes I’m here. No…no” she huffed, “well obviously! She’s been interviewed. Max did it. Pfft as if, go annoy someone else Donne” she snapped and hung up. Miranda pocketed her phone and smiled at Max, “how was the interview?”

“Donne organised her to do it all…think he wanted our attention”.

“He’s got it now then”.

Miranda’s gaze hardened, “I need to go speak with him tonight. I’ll be back late”.

Max nodded, “I’ll do us some lasagne then…cheesey…meaty…”

“Stop turning me on” Miranda pouted, “your lasagne rivals the Italians”.

Max grinned, “Ja it’ll make your meeting go that much quicker…especially when you think about afterwards where my hands will be”.

“Your hands will be the death of me” she laughed, “come here” she pulled him close and sorted out his collar.

“So if you-…you say _my_ hands will be the death of you but ohhh _your_ hands…” Max shivered and gripped her wrist, holding her hands against his crotch, “and in the office”.

“I’m tucking you in you messy fool” she laughed, “not giving you a handjob”.

Max blushed and let her hand go, “fine. But” he growled low, “one day Miranda, we are doing _something_ here”.

“One day?”

Max grinned and grabbed her hand, tugging her towards the toilets, he locked them in a cubicle and blocked her from leaving.

“Maaax” Miranda laughed, “you are so needy for sex why can’t you just bloody wait”.

“Because you are sexy and I am turned on?”

“We’re not having sex at work”.

“Ja we are”.

“No”.

“Jaaa” he grinned, “because I know you are turned on. And you being turned on, turns me on. And if I do this” he said and unzipped her trousers, “you will shiver”.

“Max” Miranda gulped as he sank to his knees, “n-no Max no not that” she whimpered as he tugged the trousers down.

“Ja? You sure?”

“m-Maybe” she breathed as he looked at her, “Max?”

Max kissed her hips, “happy six months babe” he grinned.

* * *

Inés glared at her officers, listening in at the sounds being made from the ladies toilets.

“Dios” she breathed and barged into the room, “Winter. Blake. If you are having sex right now-“

Miranda poked her head out of the end door, “not having sex Inés”.

“Sí and where is Winter?”

Max poked his head out and grinned at Inés, “holaaa”.

“Get out Max you are not a woman”.

“Definitely not a woman” Miranda grinned at him.

Inés raised an eyebrow, “are you _fully_ clothed?”

“One of us is” Max grinned.

“Both of us are” Miranda replied and nudged him.

“And _why_ are you _both_ in here?”

“Miranda something she wanted to show me” Max said innocently.

“And that was something of hers you have never seen before?” Inés asked, “get out Winter. I need to talk to Blake”.

Max bit his lip, “uhm, okay” he looked at Miranda who raised an eyebrow, “you took them off”.

Max blushed as he moved past Inés and moved to pick up his boxers up from the floor beside her foot. She stood on his hand. Putting a slight amount of pressure down.

Inés glared, “do not have sex in my police station ever again Detective. No matter how much you want it or I will _cut parts of you off_ ”

Max whimpered, “okay okay okay owww Inés!”

Inés relinquished her foot and he pocketed his boxers before standing.

“I’ll be outside” he told Miranda and fake whimpered away from Inés.

When the door closed, Inés looked at Miranda and her face softened, “how was Palmer?”

“She’s scared”.

“Good”.

“I think Donne is going to make a play for Max. e-Even though I’ve told him Max is not to be touched he’ll hurt him. i-I know he will. He hurt a man for staring at me before. Killed two for making me cry. Imagine what will happen if he finds out about what Max said to me”.

Inés nodded, “I will do my best. Are you two living together now?”

“Yeah. In our break we’re moving my stuff from my place to his”.

“And you just decided if he went do-“

“Please don’t finish that sentence” Miranda begged, “Max has an irresistible charm about him and when he starts talking I forget my mind”.

“Dios just make sure you never have sex anywhere near my office”.

Miranda nodded, "understood...he started it though".

"You didn't finish it" Inés remarked with a grin, "half the station heard you both".

"Max!" Miranda swore and grabbed her stuff, darting outside of the toilets to find Max, who was smirking at their desk.

"You were so loud!" she laughed before she kissed him, "we can't ever do that again okay?"

"Mmm ja you had so many complaints" he grinned, "oh Max ooohhh Maaaax" he teased.

Miranda chuckled and slipped her hand down his trousers, "where did you put your boxers?"

Max stilled her hand and bucked his hips, "your drawer" he groaned, "Miranda...your oh-ohh Miranda" he breathed and gripped her butt, "Scheisse".

She smiled and moved her hand out, "break time. I think we need to get my stuff to your place before we end up not having a move in and get told off by Inés for having sex in the office again".

" _AGAIN!?"_ Inés screeched from the doorway.


	5. Chapter 5

They made quick work of moving Miranda’s last remaining stuff, and a few of Max’s shirts, into his apartment. She handed her keys in and scratched the dog one last time before she smiled at Max.

“So, we’re living together” he said and smiled wide, cuddling her side.

“We are” she grinned and held his hand, “uh Max?”

“Jaaa?”

Miranda smiled and shook her head, “it’s nothing” she smiled and kissed him, “let’s get back to work… I’ll text Donne and say we’re busy. Can’t meet him later…too buys having sex”.

Max nodded and smiled, “good”.

Miranda hugged his waist, “I need to type up some reports… apparently there’s another one of this new gang uprising going on… I’ve got some intel on it but I need to work through it”.

“I’ll get us a coffee” Max promised and kissed her cheek before they walked into the office.

* * *

Miranda typed at her keyboard as Max spoke with Inés. Donne had been sending her texts and she’d ignored each one. So she knew a phone call was to be expected.

She looked at Max in the office and smiled.

Right now, her life was complete and happier than she had ever been.

Her phone buzzed with another text.

**_Miranda, hows life with Max?_ **

“Rico” Miranda smiled and picked up her phone, she called him and turned her back to Inés’ office.

“ _Miranda! How’re you?”_

Miranda smiled, “good. I moved into Max’s apartment this afternoon and now we’re working through a case. I think there’s a new organisation creeping up, so just figuring how to tackle that one. How’s life?”

_“Good. Good… Carmen and I are enjoying life. She’s at work today, might we see you soon?”_

“Not for a while Rico… I don’t want Donne to see. He’s got a target on Max. I’m concerned he’s going to make a play for him so I need a plan in place. Because if Donne gets Max I-“

_“If you need me to fake your deaths I will… if you need to go into hiding. We’ve got your back”._

“Thank you” Miranda breathed, “speak soon yeah?”

_“Of course. Always here”_

She hung up and hands covered her eyes.

“Guess who”

Miranda chuckled and smiled, “an insufferable German?”

“Hey!” He pouted.

“A sexless German?”

“We’ve had sex like three times today already and it’s not even 6PM” Max grinned at her.

“We’ve got to start using condoms” she replied, “my Doctor wouldn’t renew my prescription until next month. Said my period needs to come before he can do anything…. I think that’s what he said. He spoke Spanish more than English”.

Max nodded, “I’ll pick some up on the way down”.

Miranda nodded, “thanks”.

“Can we have _that_ conversation one day?”

“Sure. I mean let’s get the whole DoMinidas settled first but yeah, we can talk about kids if you want”.

Max nodded, “I know we’ve only been together a short while... but I would like kids with you”.

“We can talk about this tonight after we’ve had dinner”.

“Paella?”

“Do we eat anything else?”

“You want the safe answer or the answer that’ll have Inés cursing us?”

Max grinned and kissed her, “always the second one”.

Miranda deepened the kiss and pulled herself up, “I’ve done my reports. Let’s go find out some intel on this café, it’s been targeted by Donne, and someone else. I want CCTV of that someone else”.

Max nodded and held her hand, “okay. I can pick up condoms whilst we’re out”.

Miranda nodded, “good. Thanks”.

Max placed a hand on her stomach, “although I think you’d love radiant with a baby bump”.

“Down man. When you’re older”.

Max grinned, “that’s not a no”.

“It’s not” Miranda said, “I want a baby with you yes. But I also want to get our job done before Inés threatens to cut off something of yours that I really like”.

Max placed her hand over his crotch, “you can protect it” he grinned.

“Not that brave” she grinned and moved her hand, “Donne was grumpy about me not meeting”.

Max nodded, “and he’s usually so cheery”.

Miranda snickered.

“Ja totally” she grinned, “I’ve got to see him soon. He’s got intel I need and he said he’d make welsh cakes. Not had those in years”.

“What are they?”

Miranda smiled, “you’ll demolish them if I make any. M-maybe we could do that on our first day off? Make some Welsh Cakes”.

Max nodded, “if they go as well as you making Brownies hungover I gotta video it”.

Miranda laughed, “I can bake. I’m not the best but I can bake. I made you paella and got you into bed didn’t I?”

“Ya and I’ll be forever loving for your wicked teasing of it” he smiled, “are they cakes I can eat off of your body?”

“They’re kind of savoury…ish…I mean you know spiced bread?”

“Ja?”

“Sort of like that…less cake but you can add cream and jams and-oh I know that look no you are not putting jam on me again”.

Max laughed, “I think you should let me…I’ll behave this time”.

Miranda rolled her eyes, “you never behave”.

Max smiled, “you love me this way Schatz”.

Miranda grinned and as they walked down the corridors and towards his car, she caught sight of herself in the windows.

Her and Max.

Max and her.

Max and Miranda.

She smiled and squeezed his hand; Donne won’t get his hands on Max. Never. She wouldn’t allow it to happen. As a plan started to form in her mind, Max kissed her hand before they moved towards his car.

* * *

Miranda sat on the sofa in comfy clothes, an oversized shirt of Max’s and her sweats. Despite it being a warm place to live, in the colder months of Mallorca she was cold at nights and longed for rain.

Max approached with two bowls of pasta and what looked like half a packet of cheese on each bowl.

Miranda grinned at him, “trying to fatten me up?”

“Ja. There’s pesto underneath and mushrooms and peppers. Just like you ordered my love”.

Miranda grinned and began eating, “love you” she said.

“Aw love you too” he smiled, “sorry it’s not our paella but as you said we should have other foods”.

“Food” she said in response, and nodded to the bowl.

Max laughed and smiled, “never change Blakey”.

She cuddled his side and snuck a mushroom from his bowl.

“Hey I saw that” he grinned.

“Yeah? What you gonna do?”

Miranda smiled and happily ate her food.

Max watched and snuck another mushroom into her bowl.

Miranda smiled at him. He grinned.

“Thanks” she smiled and kissed him before checking her phone. She huffed, “stupid Donne” before pressing the call button.

Max watched as she finished her food but placed the phone on speaker.

“Miranda. I don’t appreciate your –“

“Shut it” Miranda snapped, “what is so important that you had to interrupt my-“

“There’s an uprising in the Plaza... they want my head”.

“I don’t care”.

“You will. If they turn on me. I’ll kill Max in his sleep”.

Miranda turned the phone off speaker and moved into the bedroom.

“I told you. No. I said he was off limits. I’ve warned you Donne. I won’t stay helping you if you so much as think about touching him. Understand?!”

“Yeah? That why you took me into the bedroom?”

Miranda turned and looked at the open balcony. She approached it and saw Donne waiting below.

“You’re psychotic Miranda. You know that”.

“Yeah” Miranda said softly, “I know. So, steer clear of Max”.

Donne laughed, “no. You know, as a kid Mam and Da took you to the doctors…. Hurt you”.

“Shut up”.

“They said you were insane”.

“Shut up!”

“That’s why they locked you in. You aren’t worth anything to anyone but me Mini”.

“SHUT UP!”

Miranda hung up and glared down at Donne, “STAY AWAY FROM US. I WANT NO PART OF YOUR WORLD IF IT THREATENS MINE!”

She felt Max’s arms wrap around her waist and he kissed her neck, he glared at Donne.

“Max?”

He kissed her neck again and tightened his hold on her, “Donne” Max said, “you make Miranda upset like that again and I’ll show you angry, get on the bed Miranda”.

“Max-“

“Now” he growled.

Miranda nodded and did as he asked.

Max looked down at Donne, “you’ve hurt her too much. I see your games and your manipulations. But she is my girlfriend. My partner and the love of my life”.

“I killed that whore you spoke to earlier Max. Be careful how you address me” Donne replied, “nobody can threaten me. And if _you_ hurt Miranda I won’t hesitate in snapping

your neck. I’m still looking for why my sweet sister has marks on her wrists… why she cried so much that day”.

Max gulped.

“Know anything? I know you arrested her Max. Think on your sins”.

Donne backed off and Max turned and shakily shut the balcony doors behind him. He looked at Miranda on the bed and she smiled softly at him.

“You okay?”

He looked at the scars Palmer had given her and shook his head.

“Come here” she said, “no sex tonight my love. Just hold me, and I’ll hold you”.

Max crawled onto the bed and hugged her tightly.

“I know” she breathed and rubbed his back, “I know”.

Max sniffed and kissed her head, “I’m so sorry for what I said. For hurting you… making you cry. Miranda I-I’m so sorry” he cried.

Miranda rubbed his back, “sweet man. I know. I know it’s okay… I forgive you okay? Those words were needed. I’d been a fool to keep my secrets… it’s why I-I should tell you…I think I might be pregnant Max. I mean I’m not sure but it’s possible. The amount of sex that we’ve had…I missed my period last month too”.

Max sniffed and looked at her, placing a hand against her stomach, “y-you uh you… might be?”

Miranda nodded, she cupped his face and kissed him, “I might be. Not had a chance to do a test but…I think we are”.

Max smiled wide and hugged her waist. Resting his head against her stomach as though he could hear the sounds of life.

Miranda chuckled and stroked his head, “don’t think about doing anything else whilst you are down there Winter” she teased.

“Spoil sport” he muttered but grinned and kissed her stomach, “hallo” he breathed.

Miranda smiled as Max spoke in German to her stomach, she let her eyes drift shut and fell asleep to Max’s voice.

* * *

Miranda woke up to Max still clutching her stomach. Snoring gently. But she had sensed a danger.

She looked left and saw Donne.

She froze. Desperate for Max to wake up.

Donne covered her mouth with his hand and placed a gun to her head.

“I’m not above eliminating you Miranda. Did you see Palmer?”

Miranda nodded.

“And did she beg for her life?”

Again, she nodded. Terrified now.

“You’re outgrowing your use. Be better Mini. Don’t argue back and keep meeting with me”.

Miranda nodded and breathed a sigh of relief as Donne left her side and room. She shook Max once and pulled him close to her side. He wrapped his body against hers again and nuzzled her neck.

“We need a plan” she whispered in his ear, “a get out plan”.

Max stirred.

“Especially now I might be pregnant” Miranda breathed. Max opened his eyes slowly, “if you want a coherent reply from me” he started.

Miranda chuckled and kissed his head, “sleep my sweet sweet man”.

Max nodded and buried his face back to her neck.

Max liked spooning. He liked her holding him and yet he never said.

She smiled and cuddled him close, “you are my heart and soul. I love you”.

“Love you too” he breathed.

* * *

Max woke up with Miranda holding him close. It took him a few minutes to remember their conversations last night, with both Donne and one another. Max stroked her stomach and she stirred, “Max?”

“Ja my love?”

She smiled and opened her eyes.

He grinned and stroked her face, “you want a cup of tea?”

She nodded and smiled, she loved a tea in the morning and Max offering to get out of bed first and make it was what she wanted.

Max got out of the bed and smiled at her, “I know it’s no different from before I mean you were living here practically fully time. But… I feel a difference don’t you?”

Miranda nodded and sat up, she pulled him close.

Max grinned and kissed her, “maybe tea can wait?”

“We do need to christen the bed” she teased and took her shirt off.

“Oh ja tea can definitely wait” he grinned, “I love our little morning routine... all this sex... actually I am surprised we have not had more pregnancy scares”.

Miranda laughed and kissed him, “I do love all our little routines cariad…our morning cwtches…sex…just being with you” she breathed and grinned as he ripped her shorts off.

“Schatz pretty soon we won’t be able to have a lot of sex…I’m just getting my quota in”.

Miranda laughed, “that is corny…cheesey and far too- yeah no don’t you stop that” she laughed, “you can keep doing that all throughout if you want just woah on the sex for a bit”.

Max looked up from between her legs, “happily”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :O Sooo Miranda's pregnant? And with Donne getting ever so close to hurting Max, will she manage to get Donne away from her life once and for all?


	6. Chapter 6

Miranda rubbed her head as she sat at her desk hours later. Max was on his break and unfortunately Inés had claimed Miranda for paperwork.

It had meant she could catch up on the mysterious new gang that Donne was worried over.

“Blake. There’s some activity along the plaza”.

Miranda nodded and turned her computer off, “on it”. 

She grabbed her phone and took the keys to a patrol car.

She drove to the Plaza and found nothing out of the ordinary. Max had texted her a photo of a baby grow and despite her reservations of having a baby with him and so soon, she was happy with the development.

She placed a hand over her stomach and smiled, she hoped they were pregnant. And if they weren’t, the fact that sex and condoms didn’t go hand in hand with them probably would mean they would be soon.

She replied to his text.

**_Stop making me horny x_ **

She could picture Max laughing at the text. Smiling and shaking his head.

She pocketed her phone and checked the alleys. Her phone vibrated and she knew instantly it wasn’t Max’s reply.

She huffed and answered it.

“Hello Donne”.

“Go to the furthest alley. The one with the sunglasses stall opposite”.

Miranda walked, “spying on me again?”

“Of course. I have eyes on you and _him_ always”.

Miranda nodded, “well that’s good. Someone’s got to have a hobby. I did wonder if you were going to get a bit 2D with your life. What’s down the alley?”

“A body”.

“Oh. One of yours?”

“An enemy. Yes. But, _I_ didn’t put the body there. One of my associates did, he’s a druggie. Find out what you can”.

Donne hung up and Miranda found herself searching for the body in amongst needles and rubbish. She stepped back quickly as she found it. His face disfigured but the death recent. His body was still warm.

“Shit” she breathed as she heard police cars.

“Not again” Miranda muttered and knelt to the body. She checked it over for something Donne’s men might’ve left.

She found a small bag of coke but she saw the faint traces of paper as well. In amongst it there was a piece of information that was vital to her. She knew it

She slipped it into her shoe and stood as two officers came down the alley towards her. She didn’t recognise their numbers and they didn’t know her. Despite her claims of being a police officer she was slammed against the wall and her wrists cuffed behind her back.

“You know Detective Winter will be very cross at you two. So will Inés. Can’t wait to see her face” Miranda teased.

“Your words are fake. Look at you have this mans blood on you!”

Miranda chuckled, “fine. Fine. Claim I killed him. It doesn’t really matter” she laughed, “if he sees you arresting me you’ll both come to a sticky end either way”.

“Oh and who’s your brother?” One laughed and shoved her into the car.

“The DoMinidas’ boss” she grinned as her phone vibrated, “think he knows”.

As a shot was fired into the crowd, Miranda smirked.

“Ooo he sounds pissed”.

As the two officers locked her in the car she took the time to check the paper in the coke bag. She wanted to see what message there was. She feared though, that it wasn’t a message from Donne but rather the new rival she’d heard rumours of.

It was awkward with her arms cuffed, but she managed to get the bag out and spilt the coke on the floor of the car. She saw then, that it wasn’t a ripped letter. But a photo. She awkwardly put the photo together and her heart stopped.

Her and Max.

On the cliffs.

From a month back.

“Shit” she cursed and tided it away quickly, brushing the coke aside as the two officers returned.

She had a choice now, stay quiet and Max would be cross.

Speak out and she’d get more help.

She smirked at the two officers, “was that my brother? Did he have a nice message for me? Or for you? Was it do not arrest my sister?”

The one officer who had cuffed her shut the divider up, surrounding her in silence as they drove back to the station.

* * *

Max walked into the office, glaring at everyone, “Where is she?! WHERE IS MIRANDA?!”

Davíd looked up, “sh-she uhm, she’s sh-she’s in an interview room”.

Max stormed out of the room, storming away from them all and towards Miranda.

He saw Miranda sat opposite Inés, cuffed to the table. The chains were small and tight. Restricting her movement.

She was glaring at Inés.

Max opened the door, she looked up and smiled.

“Handcuffs? Must we always start foreplay with a bit of bondage?” he teased.

Miranda smirked, “you know me love…always like to tease”.

“She has been arrested because she was found at the scene of a murder”.

“Again?”

Inés shot Max a look, “ _Winter!_ ”.

“Who got killed?” Max asked.

“A young man, looked like a foreigner; Kristian Renkoff. Drug dealer”.

Max looked at Miranda and moved to her hands, he stroked her hand and smiled, “whhyyy did you kill him?”

“Assuming I killed him?”

“Did you?”

Miranda smirked, “Inés is very grumpy about the whole matter”.

Max looked at Inés. She glared back, “finished having your little catch up? Or is this the only time you two can talk without it leading to sex?”

Max flushed, “sorry…uhm, so are you answering questions or misbehaving Blake?”

Miranda grinned, “what do you think?”

“Misbehaving. 100%” Max laughed and sat beside Inés, “come on Blakey you going to share your stories?”

She grew quiet then, and she looked at Inés and then Max.

“Miranda?” Max said.

She ignored him and looked at her hands.

“You see what she does. She goes chatty and then she stops” Inés said, “very suspicious”.

Max nodded, “Miranda. If you don’t answer the questions…I think Inés might need to know about last night. _Both_ parts”.

Miranda sat up slightly, adjusting her position, “you wouldn’t”.

“I would. Very much so. Don’t test me” he said coldly, “so. Did you kill him?”

Miranda rubbed her wrists, “ask me a different question”.

“No. Did you kill Kristian Renkoff?”

Miranda looked up at him, furious tears in her eyes, “I didn’t kill him. He was dead when I got there. D-Donne had told me to go there. He told me and there was a body. I checked his pockets”.

“What was in them?” Max asked, “Miranda?” he added.

Miranda huffed, “I thought it was a letter ripped up and put into some coke. But it was a ripped photo. He had a photo of me and you when we went to the cliffs last month…on our day off when we…” Miranda flushed as she realised Inés was listening intently.

“Ohhh” Max blushed, “that cliff…so there was a photo of us?”

Miranda nodded, “it wasn’t one of Donne’s men…i-I think we’re targets for someone else now”.

“w-What?”

“I wanted to keep you out of this as long as possible…Donne has had word that there’s a rival in town. Someone who wants to take down the DoMinidas. Starting with us”.

“Dios…what is their name? How can we-“

“We can act. Donne has his men on the case. I’ve got to send him any person I think is part of it”.

Max nodded, “why us?”

Miranda sat up and shrugged, “cause we’re Detectives messed up in a world of murder” she reached her hand out to Max.

He sighed and covered it, “we’ll sort this out but you need to trust me Miranda. You _need_ to. We live together. We are together, we _love_ each other. You need to tell me your secrets”.

Miranda squeezed his hand, “I know…i-I know…okay…okay” she repeated and breathed, “It’s hard… you know I have trouble”.

“I know Schatz” he whispered and smiled, “but I’ll always be on your side”.

Miranda smiled, “good man…”

“Why couldn’t you have just told us you didn’t kill him?” Inés said, “honestly Miranda you do like to do things by halves”.

“Because I needed to be seen by you two...I had to stay in here long enough, with you here with me”.

“Why?”

“Because you have to know any death that happens isn’t because of me. I-I might threaten it but I haven’t killed anyone s-since…since that man all those years ago” she said.

Max nodded, “it’s okay. Donne’s been manipulating you all of your life my love. But he’s wrong. You aren’t psycho. I know it and I know you”.

Max unlocked her cuffs and moved to her, “I will do anything for you” he promised. Miranda sank into his arms and hugged him tightly, “I will protect you” he breathed to her, “my love. My life”.

Miranda nodded, “I love you”.

“Eugh” Inés groaned, “if you two have quiet finished…I have-“

Davíd knocked, interrupting Inés words, he looked at Max and Miranda before staring at Inés, “there’s been an attack”.

“On?”

“DI Abbey Palmer. She’s in hospital”.

Max felt Miranda tense in his arms, “when was this?”

“Half an hour ago”.

_Needed to be seen by you two….I might threaten but I haven’t killed…_

“We’re on it” Max said.

“Max-“ Inés began.

“This is our job” Max said, “our case. Leave Palmer to us” Max stated coldly. Miranda looked at him, into his eyes and saw a smile form in them.

“Leave it to us” he whispered to her and stroked her face, “the DoMinidas”.

Miranda smiled, “let’s go see what’s happened”.


	7. Chapter 7

Miranda looked at Palmer, she had the same marks on her wrists that Miranda had. This attack was personal. Only this time, nobody had gotten to Palmer in enough time to save her. She was dying.

As Max got the information from the Doctors. Miranda sat with Palmer.

“It was Donne then” she said.

Palmer nodded.

“I won’t give you protection you know?”

“He has houses you don’t know about” Palmer breathed, “up in the cliffs… keeps people there. Black and white building”.

Miranda nodded, “how do I access it?”

“Need codes or driver…”

Miranda rubbed her stomach and Palmer eyed her with a half smile.

“Donne doesn’t know…if…if he…if I survive…won’t tell him”.

Miranda caught herself and nodded once, “thank you. We haven’t done a test yet but… it’s been a long while since…”

Palmer let her eyes shut, “congratulations… always were the best Detective”.

Miranda froze as the machine beeped a single tune.

“P-Palmer? M-ma’am?” Miranda shook the woman and flung herself to the alarm button, “WE NEED A DOCTOR IN HERE. PLEASE! POR FAVOR!”

Max pulled her back as Doctors rushed in.

“I didn’t do anything” she whispered to Max, “she was dying… it was all Donne. Donne was… he did it…”

Max held her close, “let’s go home. We need to talk properly Scary Blake”.

Miranda nodded and kissed his hand.

* * *

Max sat with a bowl of pasta and chicken as Miranda brought over two glasses of lemonade.

“So you didn’t kill anyone _today”._

“No… but when I said I was getting the pill the other day I was really meeting Palmer. She wanted to see me and I threatened her. Donne told me to a-and I did. I threatened her Max and now she’s dead”.

“Scary Blake” he said and stroked her face, “it’s okay. You threaten to chop things off of me all the time and I’m still whole”.

“I like the parts of you I threaten”.

Max grinned, “and they like you very much. Very much given you might be carrying my baby”.

Miranda smiled and kissed his palm, “I love you”.

“I love you too” he breathed, “I want to tell you something.. ask you something”.

She stroked his face and kissed him, “I don’t need” she breathed, “really Max. We don’t need to do that now”.

“But-“

She smiled, “ask me when we have our baby and I’ll say yes”.

Max nodded and smiled at her, “so it’s a yes now?”

Miranda laughed, “yes you idiot. But let me give birth to your giant baby first”.

Max grinned and smiled at her.

“If it’s a girl I know a name I want”.

Max tilted his head, “can I know?”

“Nope” she smiled, “I will promise though to not wear any underwear for a week if you behave yourself tonight”.

Max laughed, “that’s a big ask”.

“It’s to say thank you for believing me Max. Most would’ve thought I killed both of them but you? You never doubt me”.

“Of course not. I know you my love”.

Miranda sipped her drink and forked some pasta and chicken. She ate before leaning against his chest.

“Max?”

“Mmm?”

“Ida” she said, “I’d call her Ida”.

Max stroked her stomach and smiled at her, “after my Mama?”

She nodded, “it’s a lovely name and she made you the man I love. Of course after your Mama”.

Max pulled her close and slipped his hand up her shorts. Resting it against her thigh.

“My heart is full of love for you and more”.

“I can feel that” she grinned and cupped his face, “will I ever get to eat a meal without you turning it to sex?”

“Nope” he grinned.

Miranda chuckled and kissed him, “wouldn’t want you any other way my love”.

* * *

Miranda left Max sleeping in the morning, opting to organise a meeting with Donne before he woke up.

She also had to find out who was watching them. What they might know already. And Donne was the answer to all of that.

He was by the local café that they sometimes went to if they woke up late or wanted brunch.

He’d ordered her a tea. So, when she sat down, she knew he was in a good mood.

“What did he have on him?”

“A photo of Max and I. Ripped up but it was us…”

Donne nodded and sipped his own drink, black coffee.

“Interesting… how’s Palmer?”

“Dead”.

“Oh” Donne smiled, “shame”.

Miranda sipped her drink and nodded, “Max is asleep… he doesn’t know I’m here”.

“So many secrets you keep Minidas. I’m surprised he wants to keep sleeping with you”.

Miranda smiled slightly, “you don’t know us”.

“I know you though. He’s just.. an unfortunate tag along. The minute your back is turned I’ll kill him”.

Miranda shook her head, “no” she looked at Donne, fury coloured her eyes.

“My name is Miranda. And as long as I live and breathe Max is mine. And even after my death he’ll be mine. You harm him and I will kill you. Brother or not. I will kill you Donne. I’ll shoot you in the head”.

Donne tipped her tea over her hand, burning her to distract her before he gripped her tightly. Dragging her away from the table pulling her along despite her protests.

He slammed her against the wall and placed a knife against her throat.

“You make threats like that you better pull through with them. Maybe I should’ve killed you years ago. Maybe I should’ve asked Niall Taylor to kill you- oh didn’t you know? Yes he’s very charming but hasn’t a patch on me. I threatened his darling daughter. Fucked her. Well… she cried not sure if you can call that fucking-“

“You bastard” Miranda spat and struggled hard.

“Shut it” Donne snarled back and dragged her down towards the bins in the alley. He pushed her down and placed his hands at her throat.

“Darling sister. Nothing is above me” he squeezed tightly, “nothing. You show me no loyalty I’ll show you no loyalty. That pervert you killed all those years ago? I hurt him. I buried him for you. Maybe I should’ve just let him rape you”.

Miranda whimpered underneath. Desperate for air. Desperate for Max.

“He wanted to” Donne smirked and stroked a hand down Miranda’s face. Keeping her down with one hand.

His hand trailed down and he stroked it across her hips, “maybe I should. I could. I would. I’d happily break you into pieces Mini, you’re not behaving and I would like to see you cry”.

“Donne” Miranda wheezed, “stop it. Stop this you’re scaring me!”

“Start behaving. Or I’ll hurt you” he snapped and he brought her face close and punched her.

She fell back against him. Trying to bring her arms up to defend herself but she found they were numb.

“I made a trade” Donne laughed, “your life for my free passage from Mallorca. I’m done here Mini… they’ll be along soon. Unless you want to be with me? You can you know? I’ll still accept you. You are my sister after all. But we’d both have to leave Mallorca now”.

Miranda whimpered as he stroked her face again.

“Max” she cried.

“No” Donne hissed, “NO” he slammed her head to the floor and stood.

“This is not how it goes Miranda” he spat and grabbed her. Pulling her up as her feet gave out on her.

“Are you with me?”

Miranda hung her head, “no… Donne no… I’m with Max. I love Max and I have a life with him. All of this is too much. He’s in danger and you can’t see how much you are hurting me. I thought you cared. I thought you loved me”.

Donne laughed, “love is for children. I understand that now” he pushed her against the wall, “but now… us? You were my sister. Now. You’re just some common bitch who whores herself to the first guy who smiled at her”.

“Donne-“

“It’s true though. You didn’t let anyone get close and yet you let him in. I’m going to teach you a lesson Miranda. One you’ll never forget” he snapped and dragged her by the hair back down the alley.

“No. Donne! DONNE!” Miranda screamed.


	8. Chapter 8

Max woke up to Miranda in his bed. Cuddling him, she had a bruise on her face that wasn’t there that morning.

She smiled shakily at him, “can we go to Munich this weekend? A-and maybe stay there for a bit?”

“Miranda?”

“P-please” she broke.

Max pulled her close, “Miranda what happened? What’s wrong?”

“Donne” she cried, “Max h-he… he”

She cried into his chest and he saw scratches down her arms.

“M-Miranda?”

“He he tried to… I I got away I nearly I I “ she cried and gripped him, “Max.

I I wouldn’t I I fought I-I i-I…” she gripped him tightly, “Max-“

Max stroked her face, “I’m going to kill him. For even touching you. I’ll kill him”.

“Max he’s-“

“You can be serious about protecting him. He nearly raped you!”

Miranda shook and took his hands in hers, “I know. I know” she breathed, “I want him dead. I don’t want you to kill him. I’ll kill him. He’s wanting to leave Mallorca. But I can’t let him. I want him dead and I’m going to do it”.

Max squeezed her hands, “if you are sure”.

“I am” she sniffed and wiped her eyes, “I am going to murder him”.

Max nodded and kissed the bruise on her cheek.

“Let’s skip work and kill him today”.

Miranda nodded and pressed her body to his, “and then we celebrate?”

“With a pregnancy test” he laughed.

“Spoilsport” she pouted but smiled.

“So where will he be?”

“Uh well Palmer told me about a house of his? Maybe we could check there”.

Max nodded, “should we get a gun?”

“I have one” she replied, “Scary Blake is coming out to play” she glared.

Max smiled, “I love Scary Blake. How’s she going to be when I tell her she’s pregnant”.

Miranda narrowed her eyes and smiled sweetly, “a baby? For us? Oh lover. Do you know how to use a condom?”

“Never had the lessons” he grinned, “want to teach me?”

Miranda pushed him down to the bed and straddled him. His hands found her hips and she froze.

“Scary Blake?”

Max noticed fear fly through her eyes and he lifted her off his waist, “my love it’s okay” he said and held her.

“It’s okay” he soothes and rubbed her back, “my love”.

Miranda leaned into his chest, “Max… I can’t stop thinking about him”.

Max rubbed her back and kissed her head, “I know. I know my love…”

She cuddled him, “I’m going to kill him. Kill him for harming our child”.

Miranda kissed him softly.

Max smiled and pulled back, “let’s get murdery”.

* * *

Max hovered outside the apartment, waiting for Miranda to emerge. She’d told him to wait so he couldn’t be witness to what she did, but when she came out she shook her head.

“He’s not there”.

Max nodded, “where else could he be?”

“There’s a house. Unlisted but it’s on a file somewhere. It’s under his name”.

“Right let’s get you there”.

“I’ll need your help to break in. I-If we go there… you’d be my accomplice. If we-“

“I love you. And I’m here for you. I’ll hold him still. You can do the killing but let me hurt him a bit?”

Miranda grinned and nodded, “ja”.

* * *

They approached the house in the cliffs with trepidation, Miranda felt that something was off.

“Max-“

“I know”.

“We need to let Inés know where we are”.

Max nodded and fired off a text as Miranda shot the lock off the door to the house.

She walked in and Max followed.

The house wasn’t a normal house. It was more warehouse than anything. Large and going back for longer than they realised.

It had floors and doors that were concealed by bookcases.

Miranda pulled out a few books and a door revealed itself.

Max followed, keeping his gun close.

* * *

They had just reached the third floor when Miranda froze.

“Shit”.

“What’s wrong?”

Miranda turned her head slowly, “don’t move”.

“What? Why?”

“Bomb”.

She pointed to a thin silver line. Almost invisible to the naked eye.

“Palmer wanted Max dead” Donne laughed from behind.

Max looked as he toyed with the string.

“So do I”.

Max threw himself at Miranda as the room exploded. They went crashing through a floor. Miranda groaned as they fell down, “Max?” she wheezed, coughing and spluttering as the flames and smoke quickly overwhelmed them.

Donne really had wanted this place to go up.

“Max” she cried out and shook his body, screaming his name until he groaned. Coughing and groaning to life.

Max looked at her, she looked dazed but she was alive.

He smiled.

Miranda touched his head, wiping the blood there away.

“We have to get out” she said, “quickly”.

Max nodded and crawled back as the ceiling crumbled, breaking above them.

“It’s going to fall” Miranda whispered in horror, “n-no we can’t die. Not like this no!”

She gripped Max’s hand and pulled him up, “come on Winter my love. Let’s go”.

Max groaned and coughed, “can’t...breathe”.

Miranda pulled him close and placed her lips over his, breathing into them.

Max smiled at her and stroked her face, “come on”.

Miranda moved forwards and cried out as she fell through the floor.

“MIRANDA!”

He looked up at the ceiling, it was going to come through, he looked through the hole in the floor and saw Miranda lying on the floor unconscious.

“Get her out Winter”

Max turned and saw Donne coughing in the doorway, “Get Mini out. I only want you dead. Not her. Never ever her”.

Max nodded and felt the floorboards creak under him he moved to step and fell down. He curled his body as he fell, being careful to not hit Miranda as he landed. He moved to her, pulling her body to his, “Miranda?”

He saw her head was bleeding but she wasn’t moving.

“n-No” he said, “no” before coughing, he lifted her close and looked around for an exit.

“Donne?! Donne you have to help us!”

“Max? Max! Have you got her?!”

“I have. She’s not moving!”

Donne appeared at the edge, “get to the door, I’ll help get the main door opened”.

Max nodded and tried to see through the smoke. The flames were crushingly hot. He looked up at the hole he had fallen through but only saw darkness. He pushed on, moving slowly and hoping he wouldn’t bump into anything.

“M…max” Miranda groaned against him.

“Hey” Max said softly, “stick your arm out and tell me what you’re feeling…need to know Schatz. Looking for a door”.

Miranda groaned and did that. She whimpered, “ow…door….hot”.

Max backed them up, “DONNE! Donne we’ve-“ he coughed, “we’re at a door but it’s hot”.

Miranda looked at him, “Max…need to tell you something”.

“Yeah?”

Miranda groaned, “yeah…get us out please…don’t want to die”.

“We won’t my love I won’t let us”.

“I can walk” she grimaced, “just about…please”.

Max slowly put her down and she whimpered, “ow”.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and kicked at the door, “Donne!”

A door behind them opened.

Max turned and saw light. Freedom.

At the added oxygen the flames appeared above them. Max pushed on, lifting Miranda over his shoulder as he stumbled to the light. For once, Miranda didn’t protest, merely let him.

She groaned and coughed as they got to the fresh air, he nearly collapsed as he saw Inés and her team.

He put Miranda down and she gripped him, “Donne. I-I can’t let him die….not not like that” she replied and looked at the flaming building they had escaped from.

“Miranda it’s too dangerous” he breathed.

“I have to” Miranda said, moving towards it now. Rico grabbed Max’s arms, holding him back with Davíd’s help.

“NO! MIRANDA NO! PLEASE” Max begged, struggling in the men’s arms. Miranda struggled back into the flames and as she did, the building exploded.


	9. Chapter 9

Max woke up in hospital and remembered.

_Miranda is dead._

He opened her eyes slowly and saw Inés watching him.

“Hola” she said softly, “how are you feeling?”

Max looked around the room, hoping it was just a joke, that Miranda would be standing in the corner, smiling at him.

When she wasn’t he turned back to Inés and replied, “crap…m-my girlfriend is dead”.

Inés sighed, “I know Max. I haven’t been able to contact her parents. Do you have a number?”

“No. A-and neither did Miranda. I think she was- I know she was estranged from them. Can’t imagine they deserve to know their daughter is d-dead” Max said, his voice breaking at the end.

Inés placed a hand on his shoulder, “we are all here for you Max”.

“She was pregnant” Max said, “Miranda… we hadn’t done a test but she was pretty sure…pretty sure” he sniffed.

“Oh Max…”

Max rubbed his hands together and he felt his resolve break, at the uncharacteristically kind tone to Inés’ voice.

His shoulders shook as the sobs wrecked his body.

* * *

Miranda looked across at Donne, “you’ve made the right decision Mini…by giving yourself over to me I will keep him alive”.

Miranda struggled in the ties, “Donne let me go”.

Donne laughed, “you’re my sister…my darling baby sister. Shut up or I’ll change my mind”.

Miranda sniffed and struggled again, “Donne please” she coughed, “please I came back for you. I-I don’t want you dead”.

“I said shut up Miranda” Donne snarled and pressed a gun to her temple.

Miranda froze. She’d had too many guns pressed to her temple far too many times for her liking.

She nodded and sniffed, tears fell down her cheeks as he lowered the gun.

She had to remain calm, her baby- their baby needed her to be calm.

“I’ll keep him alive don’t you worry” Donne smirked and stroked her tears away, “Sweet sister…don’t cry. We’ll need to go into hiding for a bit. They think I’m dead but they’re watching the ports. We’ll stay in my bunker”.

Miranda nodded and he helped her stand. After going back to get him out of the fire she’d been knocked unconscious…almost like he knew she’d go back to him.

She leaned close to him as he took to a car, “blacked out” he said as she looked at the mirrors.

She sniffed as he helped her into the car. He placed the gun at her head again, “you know the rules now sweet sister…scream, make a scene…the gun goes off”.

Miranda nodded, “i-I won’t…i-I promise Donne”.

Donne nodded, “good…I knew you’d never leave me”.

As Donne shut the door and moved to the driver’s seat, she looked at her stomach, “I won’t leave you” she promised herself.

* * *

Max was aware Rico was in his apartment, Carmen was in the kitchen cooking something for him to eat.

Rico was tidying, cleaning up the mess they’d left behind that morning.

Max was sat on his bed, holding Miranda’s hoody.

“Hey” Rico said in the doorway, “Max…i-I don’t know how to tell you this…” Rico approached the bed as Max looked up.

“There was a pregnancy test in the bin”.

“s-She did one” Max whispered, hanging his head again.

Rico sighed, “I’m sorry” he approached and sat beside Max.

“w-Was it positive?”

Rico thought about lying, but with all the games, all the lies that had surrounded Mallorca the past few months he decided the truth was better.

No matter how much it would hurt.

“Yeah it was”.

Max nodded and sniffed, “w-we thought she was”.

Rico rubbed Max’s back and pulled him into a hug.

Carmen hovered in the doorway, “would it help staying with us Max? i-I don’t think you should be alone right now. Especially since…since Miranda was…” Carmen trailed off.

Max nodded, “i-I I think that would be nice. If it’s not too much trouble” he said.

“Of course it’s not…Miranda would want you to be looked after. She told me as much…had a back-up plan”.

“s-She did?”

Rico nodded, “she knew something big would go down…she wanted you to have this” Rico said and handed over his phone, “she sent me a video”.

Max saw Miranda’s face smiling at him. She had no bruises on her face so it was an older video.

He tapped the video and she spoke.

**_“Hey Max…i-if you’re seeing this, Donne won, he’s killed me. B-but you’re alive. So you have to be strong now, my love, strong. Donne won’t come for you. But that doesn’t mean he’ll go back on his word. So stay safe, my love, stay safe. I love you. So much, I love you.”_ **

**_She rubbed her stomach and sniffed, “I’m sorry I couldn’t keep our baby safe. I am, I wish I could have met our baby…to have held our baby…to have you holding our baby” she cried, “Max my love, I’m sorry…”she kissed her fingers and pressed them to the camera._ **

**_“Be strong… now cariad….caru chdi”._ **

****

Max looked up at Rico, “s-she knew. She knew she was pregnant. When she went into the flames, she knew what she was risking. She was risking our baby! SHE KNEW!” Max yelled, “SHE KNEW SHE WAS PREGNANT AND SHE CHOSE HIM”.

Rico pulled Max close again and rubbed his back, “Max no no…no there’s more things she had to say”.

“What! Rico she knew-“

Rico looked at Carmen who nodded.

“She’s not dead Max”.

Max looked at him, “wh-what?!”

“Miranda is not dead. Donne has her, but she’s not dead. There is another organisation…one that-“

“One that wants me and Miranda dead yes-“.

Rico half smiled, “no no. Just out of Donne’s way and grip…” Rico smiled, “Miranda should’ve been an actress. She’s very good. We discussed the best thing to do was to let Donne think he had won. And waaay back when Palmer was here…she decided she might have to break your heart. Break it to save it…so yes, Miranda is alive. But as for the uprising that’s nothing…it’s just Miranda playing Donne at his own games…”

Max looked at the video and saw the glint of Miranda hiding something in her eyes, telling him something with a look. With renewed strength he stood.

“Max?”

Max smiled slightly, “my girlfriend is coming home tonight Rico… my pregnant girlfriend”.

“Do you need help?”

“Ja…I need a gun. Inés took mine”.

Carmen moved to her bag and pulled one out, “here…I stole it from the bar a few months ago when Miranda told me there might be trouble”.

Max nodded and took it, “T-thanks”.

“Bring her home safe. Both of them” Carmen smiled.

Max grinned, “I will….thanks”.

* * *

Miranda looked at Donne and very obviously, rubbed her stomach, “that’s your Uncle Donne” she said as he untied her.

Donne looked at her stomach, “y-you…you and him….you’re pregnant?!”

Miranda nodded, “very much” she said.

Donne raised his gun to the stomach, “maybe I should eliminate it now”.

“No! Miranda cried out, “Please Donne no! t-Think about this…how you felt when Mam was pregnant with me! Think about how protective you were…how much you cared for me…I want a chance to have a family Donne…to rectify our parents mistakes. They fucked me up Donne…you were the only person I could ever look up to. You saved me. You were always there… _Always._ You cared…you paid my rent, bought me food when I couldn’t afford to live. Please Donne. You care about me, care about my baby too”.

Donne lowered his gun, “but it’s Max’s…I hate him”.

“Why? Why do you hate the man I love? He gave me love where you couldn’t. Happiness at a time when I was so lost”.

Donne sank to her height and rubbed her wrists, “because he made you cry…nobody makes Minidas cry…nobody”.

“You’ve made me cry” Miranda pointed out, “when you left…left me with them I cried every night. It was hell. They’d lock me in my room, keep me hidden away for so long days blended into one. They were cruel Donne, but you left me. You made me hurt far more than Max has”.

Donne stood, “I had to, had to leave you know that!”

Miranda cautiously stood, “Max had to hurt me, f-for Palmer to fall for it…I had to look lost and alone”.

“How far along are you?”

“s-Six weeks…I think. Not far. Why?”

Donne nodded and looked at her then at her stomach, “you would be a good Mami…stubborn but fair…”

Miranda smiled and rubbed her stomach, “Max and I were going to discuss kids after Palmer’s trial…we both wanted them together”.

Donne nodded and half laughed, “oh Mini…sweet Mini”.

Miranda backed up, “Donne?”

“Such a shame you had to fall in love with him” he kneed her stomach hard and tossed her to the floor, kicking her stomach once before backing up. Miranda curled into a ball, crying out in pain, gasping for help as he moved to the door.

“Donne…D-Donne no!” she wheezed, crying.

“If you haven’t lost it by the time I’m back I’m taking you to have an abortion”.

“NO!”

“Yes. I want no part of that man near you or in you” Donne snarled and slammed the door shut, locking it as he did.

Miranda cried in pain and whimpered, she didn’t want to lose the baby. She couldn’t.

Max would figure everything out soon, she just had to hope she could keep the baby safe till then.


	10. Chapter 10

Donne came into the room a few hours later with food and water. Miranda remained curled in a ball on the floor, terrified one movement would send her into a miscarriage.

She had never thought herself to be one for resting or laying back when she was pregnant but Donne’s actions had sent her doubly cautious.

“Eat” he ordered and left the room, locking it again.

Miranda looked at the plate and bottle of water she had been given, she was sure it would be laced with something poisonous for her baby.

She looked at the ceiling, “come on Max…please sweetheart…” she rested her hand on her stomach and whimpered, “ow…d-Donne? D-DONNE!”

When he appeared he looked briefly worried, “what is it?”

“h-Help me” she begged, letting tears roll down her cheeks, “h-help me up i-I can’t…my i-I think i-I think it’s dying”.

Donne moved to her and she cried out as he moved her slightly, “ow no stop ow!”

Donne, to his credit, stopped, “Mini?”

She gripped his hands tightly and whimpered, “o-ow…slowly…s-slowly, i-Owww” she breathed and squeezed his hands, shutting her eyes.

Donne rubbed her hands and slowly helped her to stand, “I’ve got a Doctor here…he can see what’s wrong. I want the baby gone safely, I don’t want you dead”.

Miranda nodded and let him lift her into his arms as he carried her down the corridor. She placed her hand against her stomach as she was placed on a bed.

“Señor? Por favor…my sister. I think she is miscarrying her baby. See to it she does”.

Donne left the room as the Doctor turned around and smiled at Miranda.

“Hello sexy” Max grinned and kissed her.

* * *

Max’s happiness turned quickly to panic as Miranda whimpered in pain, “a-are you really losing the baby?”

“i-I think so…Donne, he kicked me. I-I’m scared Max. I don’t want to lose it”.

“He hurt you both?”

Donne knocked on the door, poking his head back in, “is she miscarrying?”

Miranda nodded, “Donne…p-please I need to go to hospital. I’ll come straight back I promise but please, let me go to hospital”.

Donne huffed and moved in, “Miranda i-“

Max turned quickly and pressed a knife into Donne’s stomach, letting Donne know it was Max he had left his sister with.

“y-You” Donne began.

“Me” Max snarled, “you hurt my love and my baby? For that you die”.

“Max!” Miranda cried out in alarm.

Max smirked at Donne and with his other hand slashed Donne’s throat quickly. Shoving the man down he turned to Miranda.

“My love”.

“y-You you just…you killed him” Miranda breathed, sitting up slowly.

“i-I he would’ve…he-he…” Max whimpered, hands shaking as he realised what he had done.

She pulled him close and kissed him, “I love you. We love you…my love…give me the knife” she said softly and took his hands. Removing the knife from them, she winced and stroked his face, “Sweetheart…look at me Max. Max look at me” she ordered and turned his face from looking at Donne’s lifeless body.

“My love” she said, “is it just you here? Max?”

Max nodded, “j-ja just me…Rico he’s outside with the car…h-he he said we’re uhm, you did – uhm, you are the other organisation…you uhm..”

Miranda nodded and touched his cheek, “I am. The only way to get him scared was to be very clever. Can you carry me?”

Max nodded and lifted her against his chest, holding her tightly, “we need to get you to hospital…”

“We need to get out of here. Rico said he would sort out the body once it was well, once Donne died”.

“So you were always planning on him-“

“I was planning on killing him yes”.

“h-How would you have…uhm, killed him?”

“Shot him in the head”.

Max nodded.

“But I liked what you did…knife…very sexy”.

Max flushed, “only you would find that hot”.

“My man going all possessive on me? I’m pregnant Max, that means everything you do is a turn on for me now”.

“Ja?”

Miranda smiled and nodded, “yep”.

* * *

Max shot up awake, his heart racing.

Miranda stirred beside him and opened her eyes, “Max? Y’kay?”

“Miranda” he breathed and looked at her, fear turning to relief, “you are okay”.

“Mm” she replied and cuddled closer to him, “s’cold hold me”.

Max obeyed and kissed her head, “my love” he breathed, “I -i thought you were dead…that Donne had…” Max trailed off, feeling stupid for his nightmare.

Miranda kissed him gently, “still alive sweetheart…both still here”.

Max smiled and rubbed the baby bump, “good…” he shrugged off his nightmare with a wince.

“You want hot milk?”

Max looked at Miranda, “what?”

Miranda sat up, “hot milk…calm you…come on I’m awake now and I want some”.

Max nodded and hugged her side before handing over her his jumper so she wouldn’t be cold.

“Miranda?” he said softly and looked at her, “at what point did you know Donne had to die?”

Miranda turned the bedroom light on, “early on…once I knew he was in Mallorca i-I couldn’t risk losing you. I knew it the second you lied to Palmer. When you know I was connected to the Dominidas”.

Max nodded.

“w-Will there be repercussions for uhm, f-for what I did?”

“None” Miranda said, “I’ve made sure of it. Donne had more enemies than you and I Max”.

“But-“

Miranda pulled him close, “come on my love let’s make some hot milk and discuss baby names”.

Max covered her bump with his hand and smiled, “okay…I just don’t want to lose you ever”.

“You won’t” she replied, “everything good about my life, is because of you. I’m never giving that up. The Dominidas is dead. There is only us now” she smiled and kissed him.


	11. ALTERNATE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the alternative version, I've begun it just before they get to the house and it ends a lot different to the version before it. It's up to you to decide what version you prefer.

They approached the house in the cliffs with trepidation, Miranda felt that something was off.

“Max-“

“I know”.

“We need to let Inés know where we are”.

Max nodded and fired off a text as Miranda shot the lock off the door to the house.

She walked in and Max followed.

The house wasn’t a normal house. It was more warehouse than anything. Large and going back for longer than they realised.

It had floors and doors that were concealed by bookcases.

Miranda pulled out a few books and a door revealed itself.

Max followed, keeping his gun close.

* * *

They had just reached the third floor when Miranda froze.

“Shit”.

“What’s wrong?”

Miranda turned her head slowly, “don’t move”.

“What? Why?”

“Bomb”.

She pointed to a thin silver line. Almost invisible to the naked eye.

“Palmer wanted Max dead” Donne laughed from behind.

Max looked as he toyed with the string.

“So do I”.

Max threw himself at Miranda as the room exploded. They went crashing through a floor. Miranda groaned as they fell down, “Max?” she wheezed, coughing and spluttering as the flames and smoke quickly overwhelmed them.

Donne really had wanted this place to go up.

“Max” she cried out and shook his body, screaming his name until he groaned. Coughing and groaning to life.

Max looked at her, she looked dazed but she was alive.

He smiled.

Miranda touched his head, wiping the blood there away.

“We have to get out” she said, “quickly”.

Max nodded and crawled back as the ceiling crumbled, breaking above them.

“It’s going to fall” Miranda whispered in horror, “n-no we can’t die. Not like this no!”

She gripped Max’s hand and pulled him up, “come on Winter my love. Let’s go”.

Max groaned and coughed, “can’t...breathe”.

Miranda pulled him close and placed her lips over his, breathing into them.

Max smiled at her and stroked her face, “come on”.

Miranda moved forwards and cried out as she fell through the floor.

“MIRANDA!”

He looked up at the ceiling, it was going to come through, he looked through the hole in the floor and saw Miranda lying on the floor unconscious.

“Get her out Winter”

Max turned and saw Donne coughing in the doorway, “Get Mini out. I only want you dead. Not her. Never ever her”.

Max nodded and felt the floorboards creak under him he moved to step and fell down. He curled his body as he fell, being careful to not hit Miranda as he landed. He moved to her, pulling her body to his, “Miranda?”

He saw her head was bleeding but she wasn’t moving.

“n-No” he said, “no” before coughing, he lifted her close and looked around for an exit.

“Donne?! Donne you have to help us!”

“Max? Max! Have you got her?!”

“I have. She’s not moving!”

Donne appeared at the edge, “get to the door, I’ll help get the main door opened”.

Max nodded and tried to see through the smoke. The flames were crushingly hot. He looked up at the hole he had fallen through but only saw darkness. He pushed on, moving slowly and hoping he wouldn’t bump into anything.

“M…max” Miranda groaned against him.

“Hey” Max said softly, “stick your arm out and tell me what you’re feeling…need to know Schatz. Looking for a door”.

Miranda groaned and did that. She whimpered, “ow…door….hot”.

Max backed them up, “DONNE! Donne we’ve-“ he coughed, “we’re at a door but it’s hot”.

Miranda looked at him, “Max…need to tell you something”.

“Yeah?”

Miranda groaned, “yeah…get us out please…don’t want to die”.

“We won’t my love I won’t let us”.

“I can walk” she grimaced, “just about…please”.

Max slowly put her down and she whimpered, “ow”.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and kicked at the door, “Donne!”

A door behind them opened.

Max turned and saw light. Freedom.

At the added oxygen the flames appeared above them. Max pushed on, lifting Miranda over his shoulder as he stumbled to the light. For once, Miranda didn’t protest, merely let him.

She groaned and coughed as they got to the fresh air, he nearly collapsed as he saw Inés and her team.

He put Miranda down and she gripped him, “Donne. I-I can’t let him die….not not like that” she replied and looked at the flaming building they had escaped from.

“Miranda it’s too dangerous” he breathed.

“I have to” Miranda said, moving towards it now. Max looked frantically at Rico, “please” he begged. Rico grabbed Miranda’s arms, holding her back with Davíd’s help.

“NO! MAX NO! PLEASE” Miranda begged, struggling in the men’s arms. Max glanced at her once before he darted into the flames and as he did, the building exploded.

* * *

Miranda woke up in hospital and remembered.

_Max is dead._

She opened her eyes slowly and saw Inés watching her.

She looked at Miranda and raised an eyebrow, “do you have something to tell me?”

“Hello?” She whispered.

“No. The fact that you are pregnant”.

Miranda’s eyes went wide, “I-I’m i-I what?!”

“Dios. Do you two ever use a condom?!”

“Yeah… sometimes” Miranda said and moved to sit up.

“No no stay lying down.. you still need to rest”.

“I want to get out” she replied and sat up, “I want to see Max”.

“Miranda-“

“I know he’s dead” she snapped, “I know that Inés. But I need to see his body”.

“No bodies have been recovered” Inés said.

Miranda slumped back, “oh”.

“I-I’m sorry Miranda” Inés said softly and placed a hand on hers, “Max was a good-“

“He was my world” Miranda snapped, “and now I’ve got nothing-“

“You have a baby” Inés reminded her, “that will be part Max and part you… out of all of this… surely that is good?”

Miranda wiped her eyes, “I don’t want it. I can’t have it. I just I -I want Max” she said hoarsely and sniffed.

“I want Max back” she cried.

Inés moved close to Miranda’s side and pulled her into her arms, “I know novio, dios I know”.

* * *

Miranda glared at the Doctors as Inés held her hand.

“This will feel a little cold” he said and placed the device on her stomach. She shuddered and gripped Inés hand.

“There.. you see that there” the doctor smiled, pointing to the screen.

She looked at the screen and nodded.

“Yes”.

“That there is your baby”.

Miranda’s face softened instantly, “I-it is? But it’s… that’s -“

“I’d say you’re about four months gone. When was your last period?”

“Uhm I can’t remember… I’ve been busy at work”.

“Dios you two” Inés muttered.

“At your next scan you’ll be able to find out the sex”.

Miranda nodded and touched the screen, “hi” she whispered softly, a small smile appearing on her face.

Inés smiled at Miranda, “she’ll need some prints of that”.

The Doctor nodded, “I shall leave you both alone”.

* * *

Miranda looked between her stomach and the screen and smiled.

“Max”.

Inés watched Miranda go quiet before she looked slowly at Inés, “I don’t for one second believe the DoMinidas has finished. He had a network. It needs to be broken. I-“

“You are going on desk duty Blake. You are pregnant. Four months. You are going to have a baby in half a years time. Max would want you to rest”.

“Max would be having sex with me until it was very nearly here and you know it”.

“Sí I do” Inés agreed, “you need a lesson on safe sex Miranda. You know when a man is wanting sex you haven’t got to-“

“Oh please kill me now. I don’t want to have this conversation”.

“And you know a condom is worn on a man-“

“Please Inés I beg you do. Not. Finish”.

“What’s the matter? Don’t like talking about sex? You did it enough to get that” she said and pointed to her stomach, “don’t be shy Miranda. You know where’s it’s coming out of”.

“Yes yes I know and I know childbirth is going to be painful and I know-“ she sighed softly, “Max really wanted a kid. I told him we could wait till we’d been going out a year before that sort of talk b-but it’s going to be born just after our anniversary a-and I -I m-max would he’d-“ Miranda sniffed, “it’s my fault he’s dead. My fault. I shouldn’t of cared about Donne. I should’ve let him burn a-and now I’ve lost them both”.

Inés gripped Miranda’s face in her hands.

“You both have tested my patience on Many occasions Miranda. But you are strong. And you have to be. You are pregnant. With Max’s baby. You keep stressing out like this and you could lose it. Do you want that?”

Miranda shook her head, eyes wide in fear, “I can’t lose it”.

“There” Inés smiled, “now get dressed. I’ll have Christian drive you home”.

Miranda looked at the bump and rubbed it, “y-yeah”.

“You’re not going to be alone throughout this” Inés stated, “you have a family here”.

* * *

Christian smiled sadly at Miranda, “I-i know you are pregnant so I won’t suggest a drink. But let’s raise a glass to him anyway”.

Miranda nodded and placed a protective hand against her stomach.

“He’s been gone two months and yet it hurts more and more”.

“I’ll be here for you both. Whenever you need okay? It’s what Max would have wanted and let’s be real he’d sooo haunt my ass if I didn’t”.

Miranda chuckled, “yeah he would” she stroked a photo of the two of them.

She rubbed her stomach, “Mmm that’s your papa” she chuckled, “mm I know. He’d spoil you rotten”.

Christian gathered the dirty cutlery as Miranda yawned.

“Why don’t you go lie down? I’ll go clear up. You need sleep”.

Miranda nodded, “good idea. Sorry I’ve not been much company…”

“You’ve been Miranda. That’s good enough company for me” Christian smiled.

* * *

Miranda awoke with a start. Their flat- her home was dark. She rubbed the bump and breathed slowly, “it’s okay. It’s okay sweetheart. Mami just had a bad dream” she breathed and kissed her fingers and then the bump.

She was coming up to seven months pregnant now and was showing more than she wanted to. She felt like a beached whale most days and it didn’t help that she didn’t have Max to cuddle.

She padded over to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror.

She screamed as she saw writing on the mirror.

_Hello Mini_

Christian stumbled in with a frying pan.

Miranda backed to the wall, ducked and kneed him in the crotch quickly before she realised who it was.

“Shit. Christian. I-I-I’m so sorry”.

Christian groaned, “s’fine… what happened?”

Miranda looked at the mirror. 

She breathed slowly and rubbed her stomach, “someone broke in”.

Christian looked at the mirror, “that?”

“Yep… Christian, you said you’d help me. Help us?”

“Ya?”

“I need you to find where the DoMinidas is. I have files and locations to use. But I can’t get there. Inés will get suspicious and I need to stay calm for the baby. I can’t lose it”.

Christian nodded.

“I can’t stay here. They know where I am and they’ll hurt me if they know I’m pregnant. I need to stay somewhere they won’t expect. Somewhere I can still get info”.

“Rico?” Christian offered.

* * *

Miranda looked out at the harbour and rubbed the bump that was steadily becoming bigger by the day.

She smiled, “your Mami used to live over there” she said, “back when she first came over here…before she fell in love with your Papa”.

She sniffed, “he would’ve loved you…so much. He was like that. He loved people so fiercely. Brought me out of my shell…” she kissed her fingers and placed them on her stomach.

“Miranda?”

Miranda turned and smiled softly at Rico and Carmen.

“You ready?”

She nodded, “y-yeah…thank you. For letting us stay with you. I really appreciate it”.

Rico shrugged, “it’s no problem for us. Max would’ve wanted us to look after you”.

Carmen picked up Miranda’s bag, “how are you coping?”

Miranda half smiled, “coping?” she laughed slightly and looked at the bump before letting the tears fall, “how can I raise this baby without Max? h-He would’ve been so happy. Such a good Papa a-and and he’s never going to get that chance now”.

Carmen pulled her close and rubbed her back, “it’s okay…it’s okay Miranda…he’s with us in spirit and you know that”.

“We need to get you into the car” Rico said, “as the head of the DoMinidas you’ll have enemies”.

Miranda nodded, “you guys are putting your lives at risk for me…for us” she said.

“You’re our friend” Rico said, “it’s not a risk”.

“How many months are you gone?” Carmen asked as Miranda got into the car.

“7”.

Rico eyed her, but he nodded, “you will have to have a homebirth”.

Miranda nodded, “that’s fine…as long as she’s safe”.

“I will do my best” Rico said.

“We both will” Carmen added.

* * *

_Max is alive_

Miranda looked at the text and felt her body shake.

She moved to the door of her room and whimpered suddenly falling to her knees.

“Ow” she cried out and gripped her stomach, “n-no too early cariad. No” she breathed and looked at the text, “no no I know he’s alive I know but we need to stay healthy- okay okay stubborn. Just like me. T’rffic” she muttered and grimaced, “RICO!”

Rico darted in, “you yell- oh Dios Miranda what’s happened?!”

“Max. Alive. Me. Labour” she breathed.

“Shit. Carmen just left for her shift- I-I “

“Rico I-I don’t think she wants to wait she’s owwwwww” Miranda whimpered, tears springing to her eyes as she gripped her phone tightly.

“Max is alive” she said, “Christian found out. He’s being kept somewhere. M-max he- he’s alive” she smiled and stroked her stomach, “and Ida knows it”.

“Ida?”

Miranda nodded and whimpered in pain, “Ma-max- he I-I owwwww Rico” she cried in pain, “will you stop asking me questions and help me?!”

Rico nodded, “I will. I-I’ll help you to the bed and then get some towels and warm water okay? It’ll take me a few minutes but I’m going to be back okay? Dios which idiot told you Max was alive ey?”

“Christian… he’s been working for me… for m-my part of the DoMinidas”.

Rico nodded and helped her to the bed.

Miranda whimpered and gripped Rico’s hand tightly, “it’s hurting. It really hurts”.

“I know. I know but I’m here. Okay? We’ll need to get you to hospital but I’m helping you every step”.

Miranda nodded, “h-help me get my shorts off. Please”.

Rico nodded and turned Miranda so she was resting on her back.

“Dios. There’s a lot of blood” he breathed, “I need to get you to hospital b-but I don’t think she’s going to wait”.

Miranda nodded and whimpered in pain as Rico pulled her shorts off.

“Shit…are you sure you’ve not been in labour all morning?”

“I-I Don’t know. I felt pain all last night but I thought that was normal. Oh god Rico it’s killing me”.

“I won’t be long. I’ll be right back I promise”.

As Rico ran around the apartment looking for towels and warm water, Miranda felt a sudden need to push, “Ida please” Miranda moaned, “no stay please. We’ll find your Papa. I promise we will but I need you to help me I-I need. I-I owwwwww RICOOO”.

Rico burst in and thanked every God to man he had. The baby’s head was crowning and Miranda was looking like she wanted to murder someone. Possibly him.

He sprang into action and got his hands near the baby’s head, “Dios. Okay. Keep pushing Miranda, that’s it. I’m sorry it’s painful but you’re doing great. You really are. And soon you’ll have Max back. You and Ida, you’ll have Max and god help anyone who upsets you”.

Miranda chuckled and cried, “Rico I-it hurts”.

“I know I know. But you’re a strong woman. Okay? Tell me what you’re going to do to Max when you see him?”

“Kiss him”.

“And?”

“Kick him for making me think he was dead”.

Rico nodded, “one more push. She’s here okay? I’ve got her shoulders and her hips. Just her legs. You got this one more that’s it!”

He smiled and held her up for Miranda, “she’s here” he said as she cried.

“She’s she’s here” Miranda breathed and smiled.

“Take your shirt off- skin to skin” Rico said softly and cut the umbilical cord as Miranda wordlessly removed her shirt.

He placed the baby into her arms and smiled at her.

Miranda cried softly as she looked at the baby, “Max should’ve been here. He should’ve… but oh Ida I love you. Ida my sweet love… Mami’s going to tear the world apart for you and your Papi. I promise, I’ll give you the world”.

Rico smiled at the pair and got out a blanket to wrap them in.

“And we’ll help”

* * *

Max glared at Donne, “she’ll realise…she will. Miranda’s not stupid. She’s going to know there’s something wrong…she will”.

Donne laughed, “I knew keeping you alive would be in my best interests…my sister isn’t stupid no…but, she’s a psycho. A killer. And killers don’t care. So, ask yourself this Max…” he smirked, “if Miranda cared so much about you, why hasn’t she found you yet?”

Max clenched his fists and looked away.

“You see…she doesn’t care”.

“Oh I do”

Donne turned, “m-Min-“

“Ohh big mistake Donne. Giant big mistake. You see I am soooo not in the mood for _any_ excuse you have to say. Especially because I just got her to sleep. So really, piss me off I dare you. I’m working on two hours sleep and I really haven’t the time”.

“W-who to sleep?”

Miranda smirked and took off her coat, revealing a small baby pressed against her chest. Held close to her body by linen and one arm.

“y-You-“ Donne breathed.

Max looked at Miranda and his eyes went wide, “Miranda?”

She smiled at Max, “oh my love. You and I are going to have words about how to use a condom. This one was a wonderful surprise to find out about; right beside Inés as well, oh that was a _great_ lecture. _Dios Miranda do you not know your own body?! Do you have-_ ” she cut off and gently bobbed up and down attention drawn to the baby, “ah ah ah sweetie sleepytimes now...your Papa is here well done”.

She glared at Donne, “you made me go through childbirth without my Max by my side. Oh Donne. The DoMinidas ends tonight. With your death”.

“No it won’t” Donne said and raised his gun to Max.

Max watched as Donne suddenly staggered back. The grip on his gun slacked and it fell to the floor as Donne gripped his stomach. Miranda smirked at him, her gun smouldering slightly.

Miranda calmly approached Donne and smiled at the baby.

“Who’s a good girl ey? Yeah that’s right sweet one. You! Sucha brave girl. Gonna meet your Papa. He’s very handsome and Mami might have to kiss him first” she grinned, kicking the gun aside and shooting Donne once more.

Donne fell down as the baby gurgled.

“You can’t be hungry still? I just fed you” she smiled and shot Donne a third time.

“Mini- m-ini please…please stop”.

“Ohhh you like me doing that? Okay baby girl” she smiled at Donne, “just for you”.

She shot Donne in the head, and smirked, “because I love you so”.

Max watched as Miranda went unflinchingly from showing adoration to the baby to him.

“y-You” he breathed.

“I named her Ida after your Mama”.

“Ida Helena Winter”.

Max smiled softly and tried to sit up but found he was too weak to.

Miranda slowly knelt down and smiled at him, “she’s only a week old”.

Max looked at her and then at the baby, “she’s beautiful…Miranda; oh my love I am so sorry I wasn’t there”.

“You are here now” she said softly and kissed his cheek, “even if you do stink”.

Max chuckled and smiled at Ida, “oh she’s so perfect…like her Mami…”

Miranda looked at Donne’s body, and at the unseeing eyes, “did he have the keys to the cuffs?”

Max nodded.

“Ja…backpocket”.

“Right then, pull your knees up Papa”.

Max laughed but did as she said. Slowly, Miranda lifted Ida across and rested her against Max’s legs, with his cuffed hands he touched her one hand and smiled as she wrapped her hand around it.

“Oh my love…” he breathed.

Miranda stroked his wrists and uncuffed them, tossing the cuffs to one side she helped Max hold Ida in his arms.

Ida gurgled happily as she looked at Max.

“Hi…i-I’m your Papa…I’m very sorry I wasn’t here for you being born but I am here now. I always going to be here for you and for your Mami”.

Miranda hugged his arm, “come on you. Let’s get you home. My boobs are killing me”.

Max laughed, “why?”

“I’ve been breast feeding and it hurts”.

Max rocked Ida and smiled, “well then Mami” he smiled at her, “I can’t believe that you know…us…we are parents”.

Miranda smiled softly, “I know…uh you probably should know Rico helped me give birth. Carmen was at work at the time and Christian was soon to be dealing with an angry Inés”.

“Why was Iné- actually she is always angry”.

“She was angry because there had been a sighting of Donne and someone had let it slip to me leading me to go into labour….a month early”.

“Which idiot told you?”

“Christian”.

“Ahh” Max smiled and cuddled Ida, “I don’t want to move Schatz. I’m in love with our daughter”.

Miranda smiled and adjusted Ida’s foot so it was pressing to Max’s arm, he smiled.

“Come on” she breathed and helped him stand, “you don’t want to mess with me right now Max”.

Max laughed, “I never want to mess with you my love”.

Miranda smiled and kissed him, “I meant…Donne is properly dead. I-I’m the leader of the DoMinidas now”.

“And?” he breathed.

“And I’m going to use it to get Mallorca funding it needs…to save the monuments…the history. To help clean Mallorca up…but maybe slowly, you know so we still have jobs”.

Max laughed and nodded, “good plan”.

* * *

She looked as Max approached, eyes full of love at her holding their baby.

“They didn’t have Strawberry flavoured but they had Mint which I know isn’t berry but-“

“It’s fine” she smiled and kissed him before he kissed Ida’s head.

“She’s going to be such a Daddy’s girl isn’t she” Miranda pouted and put Ida down so that she could take the ice-creams off Max so he could hold Ida.

“Ja for sure. You Blake women cannot resist me” he grinned as Ida gurgled.

Miranda rolled her eyes but smiled, “guess we just love you too much”.


End file.
